An abdominal tuberculosis case mimicking an abdominalmass. Derya Erdog˘ an a. , Yasemin Ta ¸scı Yıldız b. , Esin Cengiz Bodurog˘lu c and Naciye Go¨nu¨l Tanır d. Abdominal tuberculosis is rare in childhood. It may be difficult to diagnose as it mimics various disorders. We present a 12-year-old child with an unusual ...

Full Text Available 49 year-old man presented to our clinic for pain in the right hypochondrium, diarrhea, and fever. The clinical examination highlights a tumoral formation in the right side of the abdomen, with firm consistency, poorly defined margins, and present mobility in the deep structures. On biological exams, leukocytosis with neutrophilia, inflammatory syndrome, and hypoalbuminaemia were identified. The first computed tomography exam described parietal thickening of the ascending colon, with infiltrative aspect, and multiple local adenopathies, lomboaortic and interaortocave. Moreover, four nodular liver tumors, with hypodense image in native examination, were identified. The lab tests for infectious diseases were all inconclusives: three hemocultures, three stool samples, and three coproparasitological exams were all negatives. Interdisciplinary examinations, internal medicine and infectious diseases, sustained the diagnosis of colonic neoplasm with peritumoral abscess and liver pseudo-tumoral masses. The colonoscopy did not revealed any bowel lesions relevant for neoplasia. This result as well as the bio-clinical context imposed abstention from surgical intervention. Wide spectrum antibiotics and symptomatic treatment were initiated. But, ten days after hospitalization, the second computed tomography exam showed reduction of the ascending colon wall thickness associated with significant increases of the liver tumors is so revealed. The investigations for other possible etiologies were so continued.

Sixty-nine patients are presented in whom a substantial error was made on the initial abdominalcomputed tomography report. Certain features of these errors have been analysed. In 30 (43.5%) a lesion was simply not recognised (error of observation); in 39 (56.5%) the wrong conclusions were drawn about the nature of normal or abnormal structures (error of interpretation). The 39 errors of interpretation were more complex; in 7 patients an abnormal structure was noted but interpreted as normal, whereas in four a normal structure was thought to represent a lesion. Other interpretive errors included those where the wrong cause for a lesion had been ascribed (24 patients), and those where the abnormality was substantially under-reported (4 patients). Various features of these errors are presented and discussed. Errors were made just as often in relation to small and large lesions. Consultants made as many errors as senior registrar radiologists. It is like that dual reporting is the best method of avoiding such errors and, indeed, this is widely practised in our unit. (Author). 9 refs.; 5 figs.; 1 tab

Measurements of body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and single abdominal images from computed tomography (CT) in advanced cancer patients (ACP) have important diagnostic and prognostic value. The question arises as to whether CT scans can serve as surrogates for DXA in terms of whole-body fat-free mass (FFM), whole-body fat mass (FM), and appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) mass. Predictive equations to estimate body composition for ACP from CT images have been proposed (Mourtzakis et al. 2008; Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metabol. 33(5): 997-1006); however, these equations have yet to be validated in an independent cohort of ACP. Thus, this study evaluated the accuracy of these equations in estimating FFM, FM, and ASM mass using CT images at the level of the third lumbar vertebrae and compared these values with DXA measurements. FFM, FM, and ASM mass were estimated from the prediction equations proposed by Mourtzakis and colleagues (2008) using single abdominal CT images from 43 ACP and were compared with whole-body DXA scans using Spearman correlations and Bland-Altman analyses. Despite a moderate to high correlation between the actual (DXA) and predicted (CT) values for FM (rho = 0.93; p ≤ 0.001), FFM (rho = 0.78; p ≤ 0.001), and ASM mass (rho = 0.70; p ≤ 0.001), Bland-Altman analyses revealed large range-of-agreement differences between the 2 methods (29.39 kg for FFM, 15.47 kg for FM, and 3.99 kg for ASM mass). Based on the magnitude of these differences, we concluded that prediction equations using single abdominal CT images have poor accuracy, cannot be considered as surrogates for DXA, and may have limited clinical utility.

3). However, it was not clear whether the obstructed right renogram was due to PUJO or secondary to the (poten- tially extrinsic) mass. Magnetic resonance urography (MRU) was requested to better de- fine the anatomy (Fig. 4). Despite the MRU showing a 90 mm x 70 mm cystic mass, its origin could still not be established ...

The CT-examinations of 131 patients were analyzed after abdominal surgery. After nephrectomy, splenectomy, partial hepatectomy and pancreatectomy a displacement of the neighbouring intraabdominal and retroperitoneal organs was seen. Scar-tissue was observed containing fat, which faciltated the differential diagnosis to tumor recurrency. The changes of the roentgenmorphology were not so obvious after gastrointestinal surgery. After vascular surgery the permeability of an anastomosis or an operated artery could be demonstrated by bolus injection. (orig.).

The CT-examinations of 131 patients were analyzed after abdominal surgery. After nephrectomy, splenectomy, partial hepatectomy and pancreatectomy a displacement of the neighbouring intraabdominal and retroperitoneal organs was seen. Scar-tissue was observed containing fat, which fascilated the differentialdiagnosis to tumorrecurrency. The changes of the roentgenmorphology were not so abvious after gastro-intestinal surgery. After vascular surgery the permeability of an anastomosis or an operated artery could be demonstrated by bolusinjection. (orig.) [de

Abdominal tuberculosis is rare in childhood. It may be difficult to diagnose as it mimics various disorders. We present a 12-year-old child with an unusual clinical presentation who was diagnosed with abdominal tuberculosis only perioperatively.

Masses involving the abdominal wall arise from a large number of aetiologies. This article will describe a diagnostic approach, imaging features of the most common causes of abdominal wall masses, and highly specific characteristics of less common diseases. A diagnostic algorithm for abdominal wall masses combines clinical history and imaging appearances to classify lesions

The clinical usefulness of computed tomography (CT) for the diagnosis of abdominal abscess was evaluated in 62 cases with suspicious abdominal abscesses. Sensitivity and specificity of CT were 96% and 89%, respectively. When no evidence of abscess cavity was seen on CT, our results suggested that the presence of surgically treatable abscesses could practically be denied. On the other hand, even if abscesses were diagnosed on CT, all of them were not necessary to be treated surgically. Other possibilities such as hematoma and necrotic tumor should also be considered. (author)

Objective: To determine the effective dose in abdominalcomputed tomography imaging and to study the influence of patients' characteristics on the received dose. Materials and Methods: Dose values measurements were performed with an ionization chamber on phantoms to check the agreement between dose values and those presented by the computed tomography apparatus, besides their compliance with the recommended reference dose levels. Later, values of dose received by physically able patients submitted to abdominalcomputed tomography (n = 100) were measured and correlated with their anthropometric characteristics. Finally, the dose to organs was simulated with the Monte Carlo method using the CT-Expo V 1.5 software, and the effect of automatic exposure control on such examinations. Results: The main characteristics directly influencing the dose include the patients' body mass, abdominal perimeter and body mass index, whose correlation is linear and positive. Conclusion: The radiation dose received from abdominal CT scans depends on some patient's characteristics, and it is important to adjust the acquisition parameters to their dimensions (author)

Abdominalcomputed tomography was performed in 55 patients before and after intravenous injection of 60 ml of a non-ionic (iohexol) or an ionic (metrizoate) contrast medium. The adverse effects were recorded and a series of measurements of attenuation values before and after the contrast medium injection was performed in the aorta and in hepatic and renal parenchyma. Only minor adverse effects were seen with both contrast media, but iohexol was clearly better tolerated than metrizoate. No difference in the enhancement properties was found between the two contrast media. (orig.)

Fetal pulmonary hypoplasia has been related to multiple factors. In an effort to define which fetuses may benefit from prenatal intervention to prevent or reverse pulmonary hypoplasia, we studied the relative contribution of an enlarging abdominalmass in the fetus. We produced abdominalmasses in fetal rabbits at 24 days gestation by two methods. In one group, a small cylindrical chip of Takasen, (a synthetic polymer that expands to 50 times its size in 1 week; Grobeast, Pop Art Co, Cleveland, OH) was inserted into the peritoneal cavity of the fetal rabbit; in another group, the bladder neck was obstructed with a surgical clip. Amniotic fluid volume was restored at the surgical procedure. Sham-operated littermates served as controls. At cesarean delivery on day 30, fetal lung, liver, and body weights were measured, and the abdominalmasses were quantitated by volume displacement of the removed mass or bladder. In both groups large abdominalmasses of comparable size were produced. Newborns with the synthetic abdominalmass did not have significant pulmonary hypoplasia, but often had a prune belly deformity of the abdominal wall, whereas newborns with bladder obstruction had significant pulmonary hypoplasia. Liver weight was not significantly affected. We conclude that a fetal abdominalmass does not independently produce pulmonary hypoplasia, possibly because the "mass effect" is relieved by distension of the abdominal wall rather than elevation of the diaphragm; the pulmonary hypoplasia that occurs in bladder outlet obstruction is probably due to the associated oligohydramnios rather than the mass effect of the dilated urinary tract; and prenatal decompression of an abdominalmass or dilated urinary tract is not justified to prevent pulmonary hypoplasia in the absence of oligohydramnios.

Objective: to evaluate the incidence and spectrum of abdominalcomputed tomography imaging findings in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis. Materials and methods: retrospective analysis of abdominalcomputed tomography images of 26 patients with disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis. Results: abnormal abdominal tomographic findings were observed in 18 patients (69.2%), while no significant finding was observed in the other 8 (30.8%) patients. Conclusion: computed tomography has demonstrated to play a relevant role in the screening and detection of abdominal abnormalities in patients with disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis. (author)

specific symptoms. Amebomas occur rarely, usually in cecum and ascending colon, when they can masquerade as colon carcinoma. This report describes the case of a 27-year-old male who presented with right abdominalmass. Radiological ...

Twenty-eight children suspected clinically of having an abdominal abscess were examined by CT. Eighteen had gallium 67 citrate scans and 22 had ultrasound studies. Computed tomography was found to be the most accurate test for diagnosis and evaluation of an abscess and the computed tomographic appearance of abscess is illustrated. However, because of cost factors, radiation dose, and clinical considerations, computed tomography is not always the first modality of choice in evaluating a suspected abdominal abscess [fr

Objective: To test the accuracy and reproducibility of ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) for the quantification of abdominal fat in correlation with the anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical assessments. Materials and Methods: Using ultrasound and CT, we determined the thickness of subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat in 101 subjects-of whom 39 (38.6%) were men and 62 (61.4%) were women-with a mean age of 66.3 years (60-80 years). The ultrasound data were correlated with the anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical parameters, as well as with the areas measured by abdominal CT. Results: Intra-abdominal thickness was the variable for which the correlation with the areas of abdominal fat was strongest (i.e., the correlation coefficient was highest). We also tested the reproducibility of ultrasound and CT for the assessment of abdominal fat and found that CT measurements of abdominal fat showed greater reproducibility, having higher intraobserver and interobserver reliability than had the ultrasound measurements. There was a significant correlation between ultrasound and CT, with a correlation coefficient of 0.71. Conclusion: In the assessment of abdominal fat, the intraobserver and interobserver reliability were greater for CT than for ultrasound, although both methods showed high accuracy and good reproducibility. (author)

Studies were undertaken to determine if computed tomography (CT) could reliably assist physical examination in the initial assessment of blunt abdominal trauma, and also to examine how various abdominal injuries were managed with the guidance of CT. A total of 255 patients underwent emergency abdominal CT following blunt abdominal trauma over a period of seven years. One hundred and fifty two patients had abnormal CT scans, including 58 hepatic, 36 renal, 25 splenic and 9 pancreatic injuries as well as 67 patients with intra-abdominal hemorrhage and 21 patients with free abdominal air. A comparative study on the detection of pneumoperitoneum revealed CT to be far superior to plain radiography. One hundred and three patients had normal CT scans, all of whom were managed nonoperatively, except for three false-negative cases and two nontherapeutic cases. The patients with injury to the parenchymal organs were given nonoperative treatment if they had stable vital signs and no evidence of associated injuries demanding immediate surgery and the majority of these patients were managed well nonoperatively. CT was thus found to be a useful adjunct in the management of victims of blunt abdominal trauma, since in a rapid and noninvasive fashion, CT accurately defined the extent of parenchymal organ injury and also disclosed any other abdominal injuries. (author)

Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To test the accuracy and reproducibility of ultrasound and computed tomography (CT for the quantification of abdominal fat in correlation with the anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical assessments. Materials and Methods: Using ultrasound and CT, we determined the thickness of subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat in 101 subjects-of whom 39 (38.6% were men and 62 (61.4% were women-with a mean age of 66.3 years (60-80 years. The ultrasound data were correlated with the anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical parameters, as well as with the areas measured by abdominal CT. Results: Intra-abdominal thickness was the variable for which the correlation with the areas of abdominal fat was strongest (i.e., the correlation coefficient was highest. We also tested the reproducibility of ultrasound and CT for the assessment of abdominal fat and found that CT measurements of abdominal fat showed greater reproducibility, having higher intraobserver and interobserver reliability than had the ultrasound measurements. There was a significant correlation between ultrasound and CT, with a correlation coefficient of 0.71. Conclusion: In the assessment of abdominal fat, the intraobserver and interobserver reliability were greater for CT than for ultrasound, although both methods showed high accuracy and good reproducibility.

The radiotherapy community is continuing to appreciate the significant contribution CBT can make to planning abdominal radiotherapy and is also beginning to appreciate the pitfalls and limitations of the technique. Specific attention should continue to focus on patient registration with the scanner and simulator radiographs, patient position during scanning and treatment, and effects of involuntary patient motion, especially breathing, on organ and tumor localization. Effects of patient positional changes and of involuntary motion during treatment on treatment planning and execution should be quantitated, as should effects of inhomogeneities, especially gut air, on abdominal dose distribution. Radiotherapy planned with CBT data can impact significantly on morbidity and mortality associated with abdominal malignancies. Faster scanners (with a scanning time of 9 sec or less) should be employed where possible to obtain maximum diagnostic information. Multiplanar reconstruction and true three-dimensional treatment planning can enhance significantly the value of CBT in treatment planning. Radiotherapists, radiodiagnosticians, radiation physicists, and oncologists must be continue to meet the challenge of realizing the true potential of CBT for the benefit of the cancer patients entrusted to their care

This paper describes a correspondence between computational quantities commonly used to report computer performance measurements and mechanical quantities from classical Newtonian mechanics. It defines a set of three fundamental computational quantities that are sufficient to establish a system of computational measurement. From these quantities, it defines derived computational quantities that have analogous physical counterparts. These computational quantities obey three laws of motion in computational space. The solutions to the equations of motion, with appropriate boundary conditions, determine the computationalmass of the computer. Computational forces, with magnitudes specific to each instruction and to each computer, overcome the inertia represented by this mass. The paper suggests normalizing the computationalmass scale by picking the mass of a register on the CRAY-1 as the standard unit of mass

Full Text Available Bezoar is a condition in which foods or fibers that are not absorbed in the gastrointestinal system usually accumu­late in the stomach. It usually develops in persons with gastrointestinal motility disorders, anatomic changes or psychiatric disorders. Trichobezoar is the accumulation of hair in the gastric chamber among people with psychi­atric disorders such as trichotillomania and trichophagia. Rapunzel syndrome, however, is a rare form of trichobe­zoar extending from the stomach to the small intestine. In this paper, we present a rare case of 15-year old girl diagnosed with Rapunzel syndrome on admission due to abdominal pain and abdominalmass. J Clin Exp Invest 2016; 7 (1: 87-90

The association between waist circumference (WC) and mortality is particularly strong and direct when adjusted for body mass index (BMI). One conceivable explanation for this association is that WC adjusted for BMI is a better predictor of the presumably most harmful intra-abdominal fat mass (IAFM...

Quantification software for coronary calcification is often used to measure abdominal aortic calcification on computed tomography (CT) images. However, there is no evidence substantiating the reliability and accuracy of these tools in this setting. Differences in coronary and abdominal CT acquisition and presence of intravascular contrast may affect the results of these tools. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of CT acquisition parameters and iodine contrast on automated quantification of aortic calcium on CT. Calcium scores, provided in volume and mass, were assessed by automated calcium quantification software on CT scans. First, differences in calcium scores between the abdominal and coronary CT scanning protocols were assessed by imaging a thorax phantom containing calcifications of 9 metrical variations. Second, aortic calcification was quantified in 50 unenhanced and contrast-enhanced clinical abdominal CT scans at a calcification threshold of 299 Hounsfield Units (HU). Also, the lowest possible HU threshold for calcifications was calculated per individual patient and compared to a 130 HU threshold between contrast-enhanced and unenhanced CT images, respectively. No significant differences in volume and mass scores between the abdominal and the coronary CT protocol were found. However, volume and mass of all calcifications were overestimated compared to the physical volume and mass (volume range: 0-649%; mass range: 0-2619%). In comparing unenhanced versus contrast-enhanced CT images showed significant volume differences for both thresholds, as well as for mass differences for the 130 vs patient-specific threshold (230 ± 22.6 HU). Calcification scoring on CT angiography tends to grossly overestimate volume and mass suggesting a low accuracy and reliability. These are reduced further by interference of intravascular contrast. Future studies applying calcium quantification tools on CT angiography imaging should acknowledge these issues and apply

Sclerosing mesenteritis is a rare benign process that involves inflammation, fat necrosis, and fibrosis of the mesentery. The disease poses great diagnostic challenge due to its nonspecific clinical and diagnostic findings. We report the case of a 75-year-old man who presented with vague abdominal discomfort associated with an intra-abdominalmass. With suspicion of a bowel carcinoid tumor on computed tomography scans, the patient underwent diagnostic laparoscopy. A diagnosis of sclerosing mesenteritis was made on histological examination. The patient's symptoms responded to a combination of immunosuppressive drugs, with no interval change in the size of the mass on radiological examination after fifteen months. PMID:20671922

Various surgical approaches are used for different abdominal pathological conditions. Postoperative complications occur not infrequently and vary according to the type of the surgery and the clinical context. Nowadays, multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) provides superb anatomic detail and diagnostic accuracy for various intraabdominal pathological processes, even if clinically unsuspected, and it thus has become an essential diagnostic tool for evaluating postoperative insults. Other advantages of abdominal MDCT include its accessibility and its speed, which allow scanning of uncooperative, marginally stable patients. Computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous (PC) drainage of postoperative collections is another advantage of CT. Therefore, although CT requires transportation of a critically ill, postoperative patient, it is recommended in any suspicious clinical setting because several conditions require prompt management and a correct diagnosis is crucial. In assessing a patient for suspected postoperative complications, several points should be taken into consideration, including the relevant clinical and laboratory data, the surgical findings, the type of the surgery, the time elapsed since surgery, and the operative technique (either open laparotomy of laparoscopic procedure). (author)

Objective: To study, by means of computed tomography, the repercussion of post-weaning dietary supplementation with soy oil or canola oil on the abdominal fat distribution in previously undernourished rats. Materials and methods: Dams submitted to 50% food restriction (FR) compared with dams receiving a standard diet (C). After weaning, undernourished rats received a diet supplemented with 19% soy oil (19% FR-soy) or 19% canola oil (19% FR-canola). Rats in the control group received a diet with 7% soy oil (7% C-soy) until the end of the experimental period. At the age of 60 days old, the rats were submitted to computed tomography for evaluation of total abdominal and visceral fat area. The rats' length and body mass were evaluated and, after their sacrifice, the abdominal fat depots were excised weighted. The data are reported as mean {+-} mean standard error, with p < 0.05 considered as significance level. Results: Rats in the group 19% FR presented similar length, body weight and visceral fat mass. As a whole, the evaluations have shower results significantly lower in relation to the control group (7% C-soy). However, computed tomography has found significant differences in abdominal fat distribution for the groups 19% FR-soy and 19% FR-canola. Conclusion: Computed tomography has demonstrated that the abdominal fat distribution may be dependent on the type of vegetable oil included in the diet. (author)

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is promoted as a time-efficient strategy to improve body composition. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of HIIT in reducing total, abdominal, and visceral fat mass in normal-weight and overweight/obese adults. Electronic databases were searched to identify all related articles on HIIT and fat mass. Stratified analysis was performed using the nature of HIIT (cycling versus running, target intensity), sex and/or body weight, and the methods of measuring body composition. Heterogeneity was also determined RESULTS: A total of 39 studies involving 617 subjects were included (mean age 38.8 years ± 14.4, 52% females). HIIT significantly reduced total (p = 0.003), abdominal (p = 0.007), and visceral (p = 0.018) fat mass, with no differences between the sexes. A comparison showed that running was more effective than cycling in reducing total and visceral fat mass. High-intensity (above 90% peak heart rate) training was more successful in reducing whole body adiposity, while lower intensities had a greater effect on changes in abdominal and visceral fat mass. Our analysis also indicated that only computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging showed significant abdominal and/or visceral fat-mass loss after HIIT interventions. HIIT is a time-efficient strategy to decrease fat-mass deposits, including those of abdominal and visceral fat mass. There was some evidence of the greater effectiveness of HIIT running versus cycling, but owing to the wide variety of protocols used and the lack of full details about cycling training, further comparisons need to be made. Large, multicenter, prospective studies are required to establish the best HIIT protocols for reducing fat mass according to subject characteristics.

Full Text Available BACK GROUND : Investigators have stressed the ability of CT and US to image abdominalmasses and have touted them as first - line imaging modalities. MRI may be used to evaluate complex lesions not definitely characterized by US or CT. We want to evaluate the utility of U S and CT for evaluating abdominalmasses in our rural India setup, wherein the study has to be appropriately utilized and tailored to the clinical need and also according to the socioeconomic situation. MATERIALS AND METHODS : This is a prospective observat ional study done in Department of Radiodiagnosis, PES Institute of medical sciences, Kuppam, between November 2011 to June 2013 in 30 patients with suspicious of abdominalmasses and referred to the Department of Radio diagnosis and Imaging, for ult rasound and CT scan of abdomen. RESULTS : Ultrasound and CT has 73% and 100% sensitivity respectively for identifying the site of origin in abdominal and retroperitoneal masses when compared with surgical findings. Ultrasound is less sensitive for the detection of fat and characterization of retroperitoneal masses compared to CT. By combining the ultrasound and CT findings we can able to give the histopathological diagnosis in 83% c ases of abdominalmass lesions. CONCLUSION : We conclude that ultrasound and CT has additive role in the evaluation of abdominalmasses and their management

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is known to be associated with various diseases, especially hypertension, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), chronic obstructive airway disease (COAD), and intermittent claudication. These associations have led to a debate about whether screening of older men for AAA...

Aiming at contributing to the knowledge on doses in computed tomography (CT), this study has the objective of determining dosimetric quantities associated with pediatric abdominal CT scans, comparing the data with diagnostic reference levels (DRL). The study was developed with a Toshiba Asteion single-slice CT scanner and a GE BrightSpeed multi-slice CT unit in two hospitals. Measurements were performed with a pencil-type ionization chamber and a 16 cm-diameter polymethylmethacrylate trunk phantom. No significant difference was observed in the values for weighted air kerma index (CW), but the differences were relevant in values for volumetric air kerma index (CVOL), air kerma-length product (PKL,CT) and effective dose. Only the CW values were lower than the DRL, suggesting that dose optimization might not be necessary. However, PKL,CT and effective dose values stressed that there still is room for reducing pediatric radiation doses. The present study emphasizes the importance of determining all dosimetric quantities associated with CT scans.

Objective Aiming at contributing to the knowledge on doses in computed tomography (CT), this study has the objective of determining dosimetric quantities associated with pediatric abdominal CT scans, comparing the data with diagnostic reference levels (DRL). Materials and methods The study was developed with a Toshiba Asteion single-slice CT scanner and a GE BrightSpeed multi-slice CT unit in two hospitals. Measurements were performed with a pencil-type ionization chamber and a 16 cm-diameter polymethylmethacrylate trunk phantom. Results No significant difference was observed in the values for weighted air kerma index (CW), but the differences were relevant in values for volumetric air kerma index (CVOL), air kerma-length product (PKL,CT) and effective dose. Conclusion Only the CW values were lower than the DRL, suggesting that dose optimization might not be necessary. However, PKL,CT and effective dose values stressed that there still is room for reducing pediatric radiation doses. The present study emphasizes the importance of determining all dosimetric quantities associated with CT scans. PMID:25741103

Objective: aiming at contributing to the knowledge on doses in computed tomography (CT), this study has the objective of determining dosimetric quantities associated with pediatric abdominal CT scans, comparing the data with diagnostic reference levels (DRL). Materials and methods: the study was developed with a Toshiba Asteion single-slice CT scanner and a GE BrightSpeed multi-slice CT unit in two hospitals. Measurements were performed with a pencil-type ionization chamber and a 16 cm-diameter polymethylmethacrylate trunk phantom. Results: No significant difference was observed in the values for weighted air kerma index (C{sub W}), but the differences were relevant in values for volumetric air kerma index (C{sub VOL}), air kerma-length product (P{sub KL,CT}) and effective dose. Conclusion: Only the CW values were lower than the DRL, suggesting that dose optimization might not be necessary. However, P{sub KL,CT} and effective dose values stressed that there still is room for reducing pediatric radiation doses. The present study emphasizes the importance of determining all dosimetric quantities associated with CT scans. (author)

Protein-energy wasting is highly prevalent in hemodialysis patients, and it contributes to patient morbidity and mortality. The ubiquitin-proteasome system is the major pathway for intracellular protein degradation and it is involved in the regulation of basic cellular processes. However, the role of this system in the determination of nutritional status is largely unknown. To examine a relationship between protein-energy wasting and the ubiquitin-proteasome system, a cross-sectional study of 76 hemodialysis patients was performed. Plasma concentrations of 20S proteasome were studied to evaluate its association with muscle and fat mass, which were investigated by abdominal muscle and fat areas measured using computed tomography and by creatinine production estimated using the creatinine kinetic model. Plasma 20S proteasome concentrations significantly and negatively correlated with abdominal muscle areas and creatinine production (rho = -0.263, P hemodialysis patients. Our findings indicate a relationship between circulating 20S proteasomes and muscle metabolism in these patients. Trial Registration UMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000012341 PMID:25803510

Aim: To compare the effect of an initial early computed tomography (CT) examination versus standard practice (SP) on the length of hospital stay, diagnostic accuracy, and mortality of adults presenting with acute abdominal pain. Materials and methods: Two hundred and five adults presenting with acute abdominal pain were randomized to undergo an early CT examination or current SP, which comprised supine abdominal and erect chest radiography. One hundred and ninety-eight patients (99 in each arm) were included in the analysis. The primary endpoint was the duration of inpatient stay; secondary endpoints were diagnostic certainty and mortality. Results: There was no significant difference in the length of hospital stay between the two arms (p = 0.20). At randomization 36% (35 of 96) of CT patients and 49% (48 of 98) of SP patients were correctly diagnosed; 24 h after randomization the correct diagnosis had been established in 84% of CT patients and 73% of SP patients. This refinement in diagnostic certainty was significantly better in the CT group (p < 0.001). There was no difference in mortality between the two trial arms (p = 0.31). Conclusion: Early abdominal CT in patients with acute abdominal pain improves diagnostic certainty, but does not reduce the length of hospital stay and 6 month mortality

Out of 75 patients who were admitted to our hospital because of abdominal trauma and were undergone the procedures such as ultrasonography and/or CT scan within 24 hours of abdominal trauma due to suspected abdominal organ injury. We analyzed the results of 38 patients who were confirmed of diagnosis by operation, follow-up CT scan or ultrasonography. We analyzed the results of 38 patients who were confirmed of diagnosis by operation, follow-up CT scan or ultrasonography. 1. In the abdominal organ injury, solid organ injury consists of 8 cases of spleen laceration, 1 of splenic subcapsular hematoma, 7 of hepatic laceration, 7 of pancreas laceration, 3 of renal laceration, and 3 of subcapsular hematoma of kidney. 2. In addition, there were 7 bowel and/or mesenteric laceration, 2 diaphragmatic hernia, and 1 urethral rupture. 3. 2 cases of retroperitoneal hematoma and 1 case in which hemo peritoneum occurred without abdominal organ injury were confirmed by follow-up CT or ultrasonography. 4. In all of the 4 patients with multiple organ injury, pancreatic laceration was associated. 5. In abdominal trauma patients, ultrasonography or CT can be used to survey rapidly the entire abdomen for possible associated injury, and be of great help to clinicians in identifying the patients who need immediate surgery or in minimizing the incidence of unnecessary emergency abdominal exploration.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are nonepithelial neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract and have been increasingly recognized in recent years. In contrast, stromal tumor outside the gastrointestinal tract is not frequently found. Here, we present a 57-year-old male patient who had abdominal fullness for several months. It was caused by a 23-cm heterogeneous tumor mass that was successfully removed from the left upper abdominal cavity. The tumor adhered tightly to adjacent organs but postope...

Purpose: To implement a computer-aided detection system for kidney segmentation and kidney tumor detection on abdominalcomputed tomography (CT) scans. Material and Methods: Abdominal CT images were digitized with a film digitizer, and a gray-level threshold method was used to segment the kidney. Based on texture analysis performed on sample images of kidney tumors, a portion of the kidney tumor was selected as seed region for start point of the region-growing process. The average and standard deviations were used to detect the kidney tumor. Starting at the detected seed region, the region-growing method was used to segment the kidney tumor with intensity values used as an acceptance criterion for a homogeneous test. This test was performed to merge the neighboring region as kidney tumor boundary. These methods were applied on 156 transverse images of 12 cases of kidney tumors scanned using a G.E. Hispeed CT scanner and digitized with a Lumisys LS-40 film digitizer. Results: The computer-aided detection system resulted in a kidney tumor detection sensitivity of 85% and no false-positive findings. Conclusion: This computer-aided detection scheme was useful for kidney tumor detection and gave the characteristics of detected kidney tumors

A 69-year-old HIV-positive man who was not on antiretroviral therapy and had an absolute CD4+ count of 632 cells/μl ... There were no lytic lesions in the spine or pelvis, and no clinical or radiological signs of ... by tumour mass invasion include bone pain and spinal cord compression. Hypercalcaemia is a common ...

Although new techniques and prostheses have been introduced in ventral hernia surgery, abdominal hernia repair still presents complications, such as recurrence, pain, and discomfort. Thus, this work implements a computational method aimed at evaluating biomechanical aspects of the abdominal hernia laparoscopic repair, which can support clinical research tailored to hernia surgery. A virtual solid model of the abdominal wall is obtained from MRI scans of a healthy subject. The mechanical behavior of muscular and fascial tissues is described by constitutive formulations with specific parameters. A defect is introduced to reproduce an incisional hernia. Laparoscopic repair is mimicked via intraperitoneal positioning of a surgical mesh. Numerical analyses are performed to evaluate the mechanical response of the abdominal wall in healthy, herniated and post-surgery configurations, considering physiological intra-abdominal pressures. During the deformation of the abdominal wall at increasing pressures, a percentage displacement increment up to 6% is found in the herniated condition, while the mechanical behavior of the repaired abdomen is similar to the healthy one. In the pressure range between 8 mmHg and 55 mmHg, the herniated abdomen shows an incremental stiffness differing of 7% with respect to the healthy condition, while the post-surgery condition shows an increase of the incremental stiffness up to 58%. This computational approach may be exploited to investigate different aspects of abdominal wall surgical repair, including mesh mechanical characteristics and positioning. Numerical modeling offers a helpful support for selecting the best-fitting prosthesis for customize pre-surgery planning.

Mass properties of structures computed from data in drawings. AutoCAD to Mass Properties (ACTOMP) computer program developed to facilitate quick calculations of mass properties of structures containing many simple elements in such complex configurations as trusses or sheet-metal containers. Mathematically modeled in AutoCAD or compatible computer-aided design (CAD) system in minutes by use of three-dimensional elements. Written in Microsoft Quick-Basic (Version 2.0).

Traditional methods used in patients with acute abdominal diseases are radiological studies and ultrasound. In recent years, computed tomography is performed more frequently, in the majority of cases achieving higher sensitivity and specificity. The limitations of traditional methods and the role of CT in the diagnosis of selected, acute abdominal diseases, such as bowel obstruction, appendicitis, diverticulitis, complications of Crohn's disease, and renal colic, are reviewed. (author)

To explore the computed tomographic (CT) imaging features of abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) complicated by severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) to improve the diagnosis of disease. Thirty-six cases of ACS and 61 cases of non-ACS (NACS) complicated by SAP were studied retrospectively. And the meaningful CT features were studied. Among them, the ACS vascular complications of abdominal cavity and gastrointestinal bleeding were found significantly more in ACS than in NACS (P treatment.

The somatic and genetic radiation exposure in abdominal CT examinations with Delta 50 and Delta 50 fast was measured via thermoluminescent dosimeters and compared with the exposure in conventional methods of X-ray diagnosis. With Delta 50 fast, the dose surface product for one examination of the pancreas is about 2 900 Rcm 2 , and for an examination of the kidneys about 3 400 Rcm 2 . It is thus comparable with a gastrointestinal examination or a urogram. The gonadal doses determined for CT are lower than those received from standard X-ray examinations. (orig.) [de

Full Text Available The authors present the clinical case of a 14-year old girl with weight loss, anorexia, epigastric abdominal pain and postprandial vomiting with 5 months duration. There was a background of trichophagia for 2 years without evidence of alopecia or psychiatric history. The physical examination revealed an epigastric mass motionless, stony, with poorly defined limits, painful on palpation and about 7 cm diameter. Abdominal ultrasonography showed thickening of the gastric wall and antrum with gastric distension. The abdominal tomography scan and endoscopic examination revealed the presence of a bulky trichobezoar occupying almost the entire gastric lumen. It was decided to undergo gastrotomy and extraction of the bezoar. The postoperative period was uneventful.

We retrospectively reviewed the computed tomographic CT examinations of 15 cases of abdominal wall hernia due to abdominal trauma; 13 patients had been injured in motor vehicle accidents (11 of those were belted in). All hernias were correctly identified on CT and confirmed intraoperatively. Traumatic abdominal wall hernia proved an important indicator of associated visceral injury, especially to the bowel (n = 6) and mesentery (n = 10). Careful review of the bowel and mesentery should thus be undertaken when disruption of the abdominal wall is documented. Radiologists should be aware, however, that CT findings may correlate poorly with severity of injury in these areas. In these instances, close clinical correlation and, sometimes, rescanning may be necessary. (author)

Appendiceal mucocele is a rare disease (0.2-0.3% of all appendectomies) and it is defined as abnormal accumulation of mucoid material in the appendiceal lumen. Almost half of the patients are asymptomatic. The most common clinical manifestation is pain and palpable mass in the right iliac fossa, which is difficult to differentiate from the malignant or benign adnexal masses. By presenting our three cases, we would like to draw attention to the diagnostic difficulties of the pain and palpable mass in the right lower abdominal region.

Objective: To establish a method for quantitative analysis of bowel gas by plain abdominal radiograph and computer graphics. Methods: Plain abdominal radiographs in supine position from 25 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and 20 health controls were studied. A gastroenterologist and a radiologist independently conducted the following procedure on each radiograph. After the outline of bowel gas was traced by axe pen, the radiograph was digitized by a digital camera and transmitted to the computer with Histogram software. The total gas area was determined as the pixel value on images. The ratio of the bowel gas quantity to the pixel value in the region surrounded by a horizontal line tangential to the superior pubic symphysis margin, a horizontal line tangential to the tenth dorsal vertebra inferior margin, and the lateral line tangential to the right and left anteriosuperior iliac crest, was defined as the gas volume score (GVS). To examine the sequential reproducibility, a second plain abdominal radiograph was performed in 5 normal controls 1 week later, and the GVS were compared. Results: Bowel gas was easily identified on the plain abdominal radiograph. Both large and small intestine located in the selected region. Both observers could finish one radiographic measurement in less than 10 mins. The correlation coefficient between the two observers was 0.986. There was no statistical difference on GVS between the two sequential radiographs in 5 health controls. Conclusion: Quantification of bowel gas based on plain abdominal radiograph and computer is simple, rapid, and reliable

A nutritional assessment is necessary to evaluate the pathophysiological state of patients, and serum lipids are one of the factors which must be evaluated. Body fat distribution is considered to be associated with cardiac diseases, metabolic diseases and hypertension. In this study, we performed quantitative measurements of fat distribution by X-ray computed tomography (CT) in 31 elderly outpatients. Thirteen men (mean age 74.8 years) and 18 women (mean age 75.4 years) were examined by abdominal CT. All subjects had body mass indices within the normal range and did not have malignant disease, hyperlipidemia, liver dysfunction or diabetes mellitus. CT scans were carried out at the level of the middle abdomen, these scan slices included intraabdominal fat which consisted of omental retroperitoneal and perirenal adipose tissues. Subcutaneous fat areas and intraabdoinal fat areas were measured from six 10-mm-thick slice films using a 2-dimensional computerized calculator. The relationship between serum lipids and fat distribution was also examined. The ratio of intraabdominal adipose tissue area to subcutaneous adipose tissue area (V/S) was higher in men than women. V/S correlated positively with serum triacylgycerol and correlated negatively with serum HDL-Ch. These results suggest that the measurement of body fat distribution is important to evaluate lipid metabolism and nutritional states in the elderly. (author).

A nutritional assessment is necessary to evaluate the pathophysiological state of patients, and serum lipids are one of the factors which must be evaluated. Body fat distribution is considered to be associated with cardiac diseases, metabolic diseases and hypertension. In this study, we performed quantitative measurements of fat distribution by X-ray computed tomography (CT) in 31 elderly outpatients. Thirteen men (mean age 74.8 years) and 18 women (mean age 75.4 years) were examined by abdominal CT. All subjects had body mass indices within the normal range and did not have malignant disease, hyperlipidemia, liver dysfunction or diabetes mellitus. CT scans were carried out at the level of the middle abdomen, these scan slices included intraabdominal fat which consisted of omental retroperitoneal and perirenal adipose tissues. Subcutaneous fat areas and intraabdoinal fat areas were measured from six 10-mm-thick slice films using a 2-dimensional computerized calculator. The relationship between serum lipids and fat distribution was also examined. The ratio of intraabdominal adipose tissue area to subcutaneous adipose tissue area (V/S) was higher in men than women. V/S correlated positively with serum triacylgycerol and correlated negatively with serum HDL-Ch. These results suggest that the measurement of body fat distribution is important to evaluate lipid metabolism and nutritional states in the elderly. (author)

A retrospective analysis of the results of 67 Ga citrate radionuclide imaging and computed tomography (CT) in 45 patients with suspected abdominal abscess was conducted to determine the merits of each method. Both techniques were highly sensitive in detecting abdominal abscesses, and often provided complementary and supplementary diagnostic information; their combined use many times offset the limitations of each method used alone. Guidelines are suggested that permit rapid evaluation, while limiting diagnostic errors, when using 67 Ga citrate radionculide imaging and CT in the presence or absence of localizing symptoms and signs

Computed tomography (CT) was proven to be superior to preoperative abdominal ultrasound in the preoperative setting for detection of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC). The higher sensitivity of CT has resulted in a number of unexpected abdominal findings of varying importance......; an issue that was previously studied in relation to CT colonography, but not in relation to staging CT with intravenous contrast in CRC patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the number and significance of such unexpected findings on staging CTs in CRC patients....

; an issue that was previously studied in relation to CT colonography, but not in relation to staging CT with intravenous contrast in CRC patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the number and significance of such unexpected findings on staging CTs in CRC patients.......Computed tomography (CT) was proven to be superior to preoperative abdominal ultrasound in the preoperative setting for detection of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC). The higher sensitivity of CT has resulted in a number of unexpected abdominal findings of varying importance...

Objective: To assess the reduction of estimated radiation dose in abdominalcomputed tomography following the implementation of new scan protocols on the basis of clinical suspicion and of adjusted images acquisition parameters. Materials and Methods: Retrospective and prospective review of reports on radiation dose from abdominal CT scans performed three months before (group A - 551 studies) and three months after (group B - 788 studies) implementation of new scan protocols proposed as a function of clinical indications. Also, the images acquisition parameters were adjusted to reduce the radiation dose at each scan phase. The groups were compared for mean number of acquisition phases, mean CTDI{sub vol} per phase, mean DLP per phase, and mean DLP per scan. Results: A significant reduction was observed for group B as regards all the analyzed aspects, as follows: 33.9%, 25.0%, 27.0% and 52.5%, respectively for number of acquisition phases, CTDI{sub vol} per phase, DLP per phase and DLP per scan (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The rational use of abdominalcomputed tomography scan phases based on the clinical suspicion in conjunction with the adjusted images acquisition parameters allows for a 50% reduction in the radiation dose from abdominalcomputed tomography scans. (author)

Polysplenia syndrome is a rare situs ambiguous anomaly associated with multiple spleens and anomalies of abdominal organs. Because most of the minor anomalies do not cause clinical symptoms, polysplenia syndrome is detected incidentally in the adults. Anomalies of abdominal organs may include multiple spleens of variable size or right-sided spleen, large midline or left-sided liver, midline gallbladder, biliary tract anomalies, short pancreas, right-sided stomach, intestinal malrotation, inferior vena cava interruption with azygos or hemiazygos continuation, and a preduodenal portal vein. As the multidetector computed tomography is increasingly used, situs anomalies will likely to be found with greater frequency in the adults. Therefore, radiologists should become familiar with these rare and peculiar anomalies of abdominal organs in polysplenia syndrome.

Full Text Available Introduction: Blunt abdominal trauma is one of the important types of trauma and causes mortality in patients. Identifying the internal organ damage is necessary to proper management of trauma patients. Computed tomography (CT scan is a powerful non-invasive imaging technique to assess internal organ damages in blunt abdominal trauma. The aim of present study was to evaluate findings of CT scan with contrast in patient with blunt abdominal trauma. Methods: In this descriptive study, 290 patients with blunt abdominal trauma were studied who referred to emergency department of Imam-Reza Hospital of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Tabriz, Iran, from June 2014 to June 2015. Abdominal and pelvic CT scan with contrast was done using 1 detector CT scan machine in three phases (arterial phase, portal-venous phase and a delayed phase. Patients’ demographic information, cause of trauma, and CT scan findings were collected. Results: Mean age of patients was 26.3 ± 8.15 years. Male to female ratio was 1 to 0.42. Most common causes of blunt abdominal trauma were traffic accidents in 65.5% of patients, fall from height in 24.1% patients, and fall of heavy objects in 10.4% patients. Among all the patients, 57.6% had a detectable damage based on CT scanning. Based on CT scan findings, most common injuries were spleen injury in 20.0% of patients, liver injury in 18.9% of patients, and kidney injury in 8.9%. Conclusion: Traffic accidents were the most common cause of blunt abdominal trauma. Spleen, liver, and kidney injury were the most common internal organ damages based on CT scan findings.

To assess the effects of abdominal fat on shock wave lithotripsy (SWL). We used pre-SWL unenhanced computed tomography (CT) to evaluate the impact of abdominal fat distribution and calculus characteristics on the outcome of SWL. One hundred and eighty-five patients with a solitary ureteric calculus treated with SWL were retrospectively reviewed. Each patient underwent unenhanced CT within 1 month before SWL treatment. Treatment outcomes were evaluated 1 month later. Unenhanced CT parameters, including calculus surface area, Hounsfield unit (HU) density, abdominal fat area and skin to calculus distance (SSD) were analysed. One hundred and twenty-eight of the 185 patients were found to be calculus-free following treatment. HU density, total fat area, visceral fat area and SSD were identified as significant variables on multivariate logistic regression analysis. The receiver-operating characteristic analyses showed that total fat area, para/perirenal fat area and visceral fat area were sensitive predictors of SWL outcomes. This study revealed that higher quantities of abdominal fat, especially visceral fat, are associated with a lower calculus-free rate following SWL treatment. Unenhanced CT is a convenient technique for diagnosing the presence of a calculus, assessing the intra-abdominal fat distribution and thereby helping to predict the outcome of SWL. • Unenhanced CT is now widely used to assess ureteric calculi. • The same CT protocol can provide measurements of abdominal fat distribution. • Ureteric calculi are usually treated by shock wave lithotripsy (SWL). • Greater intra-abdominal fat stores are generally associated with poorer SWL results.

Full Text Available A previously healthy 10-year-old female presented to a local emergency department following three days of nausea and vomiting diagnosed with a solid pseudopapillary tumor. Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms are a rare form of pancreatic cystic neoplasm that typically presents in young females in their 20–30s and are very rare in children. These neoplasms often present as an asymptomatic tumor found on incidental imaging. When symptomatic they most commonly present with abdominal pain and can also cause a palpable abdominalmass, weight loss, gastrointestinal obstruction, and nausea and vomiting. Timely diagnosis of this rare neoplasm is very important because complete resection of the tumor is the definitive treatment and leads to an excellent long-term survival.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, transmural, inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract (CIT) most often affecting the terminal ileum and colon. Diarrhea, abdominal pain, anorexia, nausea, and weight loss are the most common clinical symptoms. Abdominal complications of CD, both intestinal and extraintestinal, are frequent and variable. The most common intestinal complications include ileocolitis with external or internal fistulas and abscess formation, strictures, and bowel obstruction. Less common are free perforation, intussusception, and malignancy. The extraintestinal complications include nephrolithiasis, cholelithiasis, fatty liver, portal vein gas, and thromboembolic events. Nowadays, computed tomography (CT) provides superb anatomic detail and diagnostic accuracy of various intra-abdominal pathological processes, and it thus has become an essential diagnostic tool in the evaluation and management of patients wit known CD for the assessment of bowel wall involvement, the mesenteric extent of the disease, and inn-abdominal complications. In addition, as CT is frequently performed to evaluate patients with acute abdomen, it may encounter clinically unsuspected complications in patients with CD. This article reviews the CT features of various intra-abdominal complications of CD. (author)

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, transmural, inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract (CIT) most often affecting the terminal ileum and colon. Diarrhea, abdominal pain, anorexia, nausea, and weight loss are the most common clinical symptoms. Abdominal complications of CD, both intestinal and extraintestinal, are frequent and variable. The most common intestinal complications include ileocolitis with external or internal fistulas and abscess formation, strictures, and bowel obstruction. Less common are free perforation, intussusception, and malignancy. The extraintestinal complications include nephrolithiasis, cholelithiasis, fatty liver, portal vein gas, and thromboembolic events. Nowadays, computed tomography (CT) provides superb anatomic detail and diagnostic accuracy of various intra-abdominal pathological processes, and it thus has become an essential diagnostic tool in the evaluation and management of patients wit known CD for the assessment of bowel wall involvement, the mesenteric extent of the disease, and inn-abdominal complications. In addition, as CT is frequently performed to evaluate patients with acute abdomen, it may encounter clinically unsuspected complications in patients with CD. This article reviews the CT features of various intra-abdominal complications of CD. (author)

To assess the effects of abdominal fat on shock wave lithotripsy (SWL). We used pre-SWL unenhanced computed tomography (CT) to evaluate the impact of abdominal fat distribution and calculus characteristics on the outcome of SWL. One hundred and eighty-five patients with a solitary ureteric calculus treated with SWL were retrospectively reviewed. Each patient underwent unenhanced CT within 1 month before SWL treatment. Treatment outcomes were evaluated 1 month later. Unenhanced CT parameters, including calculus surface area, Hounsfield unit (HU) density, abdominal fat area and skin to calculus distance (SSD) were analysed. One hundred and twenty-eight of the 185 patients were found to be calculus-free following treatment. HU density, total fat area, visceral fat area and SSD were identified as significant variables on multivariate logistic regression analysis. The receiver-operating characteristic analyses showed that total fat area, para/perirenal fat area and visceral fat area were sensitive predictors of SWL outcomes. This study revealed that higher quantities of abdominal fat, especially visceral fat, are associated with a lower calculus-free rate following SWL treatment. Unenhanced CT is a convenient technique for diagnosing the presence of a calculus, assessing the intra-abdominal fat distribution and thereby helping to predict the outcome of SWL. (orig.)

To assess the effects of abdominal fat on shock wave lithotripsy (SWL). We used pre-SWL unenhanced computed tomography (CT) to evaluate the impact of abdominal fat distribution and calculus characteristics on the outcome of SWL. One hundred and eighty-five patients with a solitary ureteric calculus treated with SWL were retrospectively reviewed. Each patient underwent unenhanced CT within 1 month before SWL treatment. Treatment outcomes were evaluated 1 month later. Unenhanced CT parameters, including calculus surface area, Hounsfield unit (HU) density, abdominal fat area and skin to calculus distance (SSD) were analysed. One hundred and twenty-eight of the 185 patients were found to be calculus-free following treatment. HU density, total fat area, visceral fat area and SSD were identified as significant variables on multivariate logistic regression analysis. The receiver-operating characteristic analyses showed that total fat area, para/perirenal fat area and visceral fat area were sensitive predictors of SWL outcomes. This study revealed that higher quantities of abdominal fat, especially visceral fat, are associated with a lower calculus-free rate following SWL treatment. Unenhanced CT is a convenient technique for diagnosing the presence of a calculus, assessing the intra-abdominal fat distribution and thereby helping to predict the outcome of SWL. (orig.)

Full Text Available Objective To evaluate the diagnostic capacity of abdominalcomputed tomography in the assessment of hepatic steatosis using the portal phase with a simplified calculation method as compared with the non-contrast-enhanced phase. Materials and Methods In the present study, 150 patients were retrospectively evaluated by means of non-contrast-enhanced and contrast-enhanced computed tomography. One hundred patients had hepatic steatosis and 50 were control subjects. For the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in the portal phase, the authors considered a result of < 104 HU calculated by the formula [L - 0.3 × (0.75 × P + 0.25 × A] / 0.7, where L, P and A represent the attenuation of the liver, of the main portal vein and abdominal aorta, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated, using non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography as the reference standard. Results The simplified calculation method with portal phase for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis showed 100% sensitivity, 36% specificity, negative predictive value of 100% and positive predictive value of 75.8%. The rate of false positive results was 64%. False negative results were not observed. Conclusion The portal phase presents an excellent sensitivity in the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis, as compared with the non-contrast-enhanced phase of abdominalcomputed tomography. However, the method has low specificity.

Objective: to propose a model to standardize computed tomography reports on abdominal aortic aneurysms. Materials and methods: interviews were carried out with members of the Vascular Surgery Division of our institution, in the period between April and October 2004, aiming at developing a standardized model of computed tomography reports on abdominal aortic aneurysms. Based on this model, a questionnaire was elaborated and sent to other nine surgeons, all of them experienced in the field of abdominal aortic surgery. The questionnaires response rate was 55.5% (5/9). Results: the most frequently mentioned parameters of interest for evaluation of abdominal aortic aneurysms were: maximum diameter of proximal aortic neck, proximal aortic neck length to lower renal arteries, shape of proximal aortic neck, maximum diameter of the aneurysm and diameter of the common iliac arteries. These data allowed the development of a proposal for a model to standardize computed tomography reports. Conclusion: a model for standardized tomographic analysis of abdominal aortic aneurysms has met vascular surgeons' needs for following-up patients and planning their treatment. (author)

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a relatively rare carcinoma of the mesothelial cells, and it is usually located in the pleural or peritoneal cavity. Here we report on a unique case of MM that developed in the chest, abdominal and pelvic walls in a 77-year-old female patient. CT and MRI revealed mesothelioma that manifested as a giant mass in the right flank and bilateral pelvic walls. The diagnosis was confirmed by the pathology and immunohistochemistry. Though rare, accurate investigation of the radiological features of a body wall MM may help make an exact diagnosis.

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a relatively rare carcinoma of the mesothelial cells, and it is usually located in the pleural or peritoneal cavity. Here we report on a unique case of MM that developed in the chest, abdominal and pelvic walls in a 77-year-old female patient. CT and MRI revealed mesothelioma that manifested as a giant mass in the right flank and bilateral pelvic walls. The diagnosis was confirmed by the pathology and immunohistochemistry. Though rare, accurate investigation of the radiological features of a body wall MM may help make an exact diagnosis.

An abdominalcomputed tomographic examination was performed to 20 patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and to 5 patients with Lymphadenopathy Syndrome (LAS). Intraabdominal lymph nodes were seen in 18 out of 20 cases of AIDS and in 5 cases of LAS. Lymph nodes have a normal size or are slightly enlarged but they are too numerous. Splenomegaly was found in 17 patients. Rectal modifications secondary to a proctitis were seen in the homosexual patients.

An abdominalcomputed tomographic examination was performed to 20 patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and to 5 patients with Lymphadenopathy Syndrome (LAS). Intraabdominal lymph nodes were seen in 18 out of 20 cases of AIDS and in 5 cases of LAS. Lymph nodes have a normal size or are slightly enlarged but they are too numerous. Splenomegaly was found in 17 patients. Rectal modifications secondary to a proctitis were seen in the homosexual patients [fr

To assess lesion detection and image quality of ultralow-dose (ULD) abdominalcomputed tomography (CT) reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP) and 2 iterative reconstruction techniques: hybrid-based iDose, and image-based SafeCT. In this institutional review board-approved ongoing prospective clinical study, 41 adult patients provided written informed consent for an additional ULD abdominal CT examination immediately after standard dose (SD) CT exam on a 256-slice multidetector computed tomography (iCT, Philips-Healthcare). The SD examination (size-specific dose estimate, 10 ± 3 mGy) was performed at 120 kV with automatic exposure control, and reconstructed with FBP. The ULD examination (1.5 ± 0.4 mGy) was performed at 120 kV and fixed tube current of 17 to 20 mAs/slice to achieve ULD radiation dose, with the rest of the scan parameters same as SD examination. The ULD data were reconstructed with (a) FBP, (b) iDose, and (c) SafeCT. Lesions were detected on ULD FBP series and compared to SD FBP "reference-standard" series. True lesions, pseudolesions, and missed lesions were recorded. Four abdominal radiologists independently blindly performed subjective image quality. Objective image quality included image noise calculation and noise spectral density plots. All true lesions (n, 52: liver metastases, renal cysts, diverticulosis) in SD FBP images were detected in ULD images. Although there were no missed or pseudolesions on ULD iDose and ULD SafeCT images, appearance of small low-contrast hepatic lesions was suboptimal. The ULD FBP images were unacceptable across all patients for both lesion detection and image quality. In patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m or less, ULD iDose and ULD SafeCT images were acceptable for image quality that was close to SD FBP for both normal and abnormal abdominal and pelvic structures. With increasing BMI, the image quality of ULD images was deemed unacceptable due to photo starvation. Evaluation of kidney

A few studies have shown inconsistent results regarding the association between the visceral fat proportion and colorectal adenomas. We aimed to investigate the association between abdominal fat distribution measured by computed tomography (CT) and colon adenoma.A total of 336 participants underwent physical examination, blood tests, colonoscopy, and abdominalcomputed tomography at Chung-Ang University Hospital. The associations between the obesity indicies (body mass index, visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area (SFA), VFA-to-SFA ratio (VFA/SFA), and colorectal adenomas were evaluated.Of 309 subjects, 119 patients (38.5%) had colorectal adenoma. Mean age and fasting plasma glucose were higher in the patients with colorectal adenoma (P SFA (1.07 vs 0.92, P SFA (P SFA, and VFA/SFA were not associated with the location, size, number, and advancement of colorectal adenoma. In multivariate analysis, colorectal adenoma was significantly associated with VFA rather than VFA/SFA. In addition, colorectal adenoma was significantly associated with VFA rather than VFA/SFA in the men. The VFA, SFA, and VFA/SFA were not associated with colorectal adenoma in the women.The VFA measured by using a CT scan was positively associated with the presence of colorectal adenoma, especially in men. Furthermore, average risk men with large visceral fat volume should be examined carefully in screening colonoscopy.

To assess the discrepancy rate for the interpretation of abdominal and pelvic computed tomography (CT) examinations among experienced radiologists. Ninety abdominal and pelvic CT examinations reported by three experienced radiologists who specialize in abdominal imaging were randomly selected from the radiological database. The same radiologists, blinded to previous interpretation, were asked to re-interpret 60 examinations: 30 of their previous interpretations and 30 interpreted by others. All reports were assessed for the degree of discrepancy between initial and repeat interpretations according to a three-level scoring system: no discrepancy, minor, or major discrepancy. Inter- and intrareader discrepancy rates and causes were evaluated. CT examinations included in the investigation were performed on 90 patients (43 men, mean age 59 years, SD 14, range 19-88) for the following indications: follow-up/evaluation of malignancy (69/90, 77%), pancreatitis (5/90, 6%), urinary tract stone (4/90, 4%) or other (12/90, 13%). Interobserver and intraobserver major discrepancy rates were 26 and 32%, respectively. Major discrepancies were due to missed findings, different opinions regarding interval change of clinically significant findings, and the presence of recommendation. Major discrepancy of between 26 and 32% was observed in the interpretation of abdominal and pelvic CT examinations. (orig.)

A case of leaking mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm is reported, with a brief review of the literature. A 58 year old female presented with shoulder and abdominal pain associated with diarrhea, vomiting and fever with leucocytosis. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed pooling of contrast in the retroperitoneum anterior to a non-dilated abdominal aorta. There was considerable retroperitoneal blood accumulating in a mass-like lesion in the right lower abdomen and pelvis obstructing the right renal collecting system. Laparotomy revealed a 4 cm diameter saccular aneurysm of the abdominal aorta, with a 1 cm diameter neck. Culture of the thrombus grew Streptococcus pyogens. 11 refs., 2 figs

Objective: To evaluate the role of the equilibrium phase in abdominalcomputed tomography. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study reviewed 219 consecutive contrast-enhanced abdominalcomputed tomography images acquired in a three-month period, for different clinical indications. For each study, two reports were issued - one based on the initial analysis of non-contrast-enhanced, arterial and portal phases only (first analysis), and a second reading of these phases added to the equilibrium phase (second analysis). At the end of both readings, differences between primary and secondary diagnoses were pointed out and recorded, in order to measure the impact of suppressing the equilibrium phase on the clinical outcome for each of the patients. The extension of the exact Fisher's test was utilized to evaluate the changes in the primary diagnosis (p < 0.05 as significant). Results: Among the 219 cases reviewed, the absence of the equilibrium phase determined change in the primary diagnosis in only one case (0.46%; p > 0.999). As regards secondary diagnoses, changes after the second analysis were observed in five cases (2.3%). Conclusion: For clinical scenarios such as cancer staging, acute abdomen and investigation for abdominal collections, the equilibrium phase is dispensable and does not offer any significant diagnostic contribution. (author)

Full Text Available ABSTRACT CONTEXT: Rapunzel syndrome is a rare form of gastric trichobezoar that develops through outstretching of the bezoar from the stomach to the intestine. CASE REPORT: A 12-year-old girl who had been diagnosed with celiac disease six years earlier was brought to the department of pediatric gastroenterology because of abdominal distension. A palpable mass was detected. A trichobezoar that stretched to the small intestine was removed surgically. The patient was diagnosed as having anxiety and depressive disorder, and treatment started. Following the treatment, her previous trichophagia completely disappeared. CONCLUSION: Presence of trichobezoar should be kept in mind, especially when young girls who have psychiatric problems suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms.

Introduction: paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a polymorphic systemic granulomatous inflammatory disease determined by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, one of the 10 leading causes of morbidity and mortality among the parasitic diseases endemic in Brazil. Objective: To identify the following aspects of PCM by ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT): abdominal changes, intensity and characteristics of the observed images, frequency of changes depending on clinical presentation, differences from other nosological entities. Patients and methods: This was a retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study carried out with 35 patients with PCM treated at the Hospital das Clinicas (HC) at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Patients with tuberculosis, bronchial asthma, generalized chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or in contact with silica or mines, as well as those with granulomatous diseases at any point in their current or past clinical history and detected through serology, anatomopathology or microbiological exams were excluded. Collected data were transcribed into SPSS for Windows® for statistical analysis. The study was approved by the UFMG Ethics Committee (082/00). Results and conclusion: CT and U.S. showed involvement of abdominal organs in all forms of PCM, including lymphadenopathy (40%), hepatomegaly (37%), splenomegaly (37%) and adrenal involvement (17%). Gallbladder and retroperitoneal musculature involvement were also observed, along with ascites and pleural effusion. Lymph node calcification, adrenal involvement and ascites constituted evidence of high probability of PCM even though these findings are not enough to differentiate PCM from tuberculosis. Chronic and sequelae forms, abdominal involvement is more frequent than indicated by the clinical manifestations. (author)

Introduction: paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a polymorphic systemic granulomatous inflammatory disease determined by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, one of the 10 leading causes of morbidity and mortality among the parasitic diseases endemic in Brazil. Objective: To identify the following aspects of PCM by ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT): abdominal changes, intensity and characteristics of the observed images, frequency of changes depending on clinical presentation, differences from other nosological entities. Patients and methods: This was a retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study carried out with 35 patients with PCM treated at the Hospital das Clinicas (HC) at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG). Patients with tuberculosis, bronchial asthma, generalized chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or in contact with silica or mines, as well as those with granulomatous diseases at any point in their current or past clinical history and detected through serology, anatomopathology or microbiological exams were excluded. Collected data were transcribed into SPSS for Windows® for statistical analysis. The study was approved by the UFMG Ethics Committee (082/00). Results and conclusion: CT and U.S. showed involvement of abdominal organs in all forms of PCM, including lymphadenopathy (40%), hepatomegaly (37%), splenomegaly (37%) and adrenal involvement (17%). Gallbladder and retroperitoneal musculature involvement were also observed, along with ascites and pleural effusion. Lymph node calcification, adrenal involvement and ascites constituted evidence of high probability of PCM even though these findings are not enough to differentiate PCM from tuberculosis. Chronic and sequelae forms, abdominal involvement is more frequent than indicated by the clinical manifestations. (author)

The identification of small molecules from mass spectrometry (MS) data remains a major challenge in the interpretation of MS data. This review covers the computational aspects of identifying small molecules, from the identification of a compound searching a reference spectral library, to the structural elucidation of unknowns. In detail, we describe the basic principles and pitfalls of searching mass spectral reference libraries. Determining the molecular formula of the compound can serve as a basis for subsequent structural elucidation; consequently, we cover different methods for molecular formula identification, focussing on isotope pattern analysis. We then discuss automated methods to deal with mass spectra of compounds that are not present in spectral libraries, and provide an insight into de novo analysis of fragmentation spectra using fragmentation trees. In addition, this review shortly covers the reconstruction of metabolic networks using MS data. Finally, we list available software for different steps of the analysis pipeline. PMID:23453222

Because of the radiation dose in computed tomography (CT) is relatively high, it is important to have an estimate of the dose to which the patient is submitted, considering parameters and correction factors, so that the value is closer to the real. The objective of this study is to relate the estimated dose in patients undergoing abdominal CT with BMI (Body Mass Index) groups, considering the specific size of the anatomical region. The work developed in a hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil, using 16 Siemens Somatom Emotion equipment. We selected 30 adult that underwent to CT of the abdomen in January 2014. Of these, 13 using dose reduction mechanism (Care Dose), (Sample 1) and the rest without this mechanism (Sample 2). Registered weight, height, CTDI vol (Computed Tomography Dose Index) and anteroposterior and lateral diameter at the umbilicus. BMI and the correction factor for the dose estimates were calculated, according to the specific size of the abdomen. It was determined the percentage change between the CTDI vol values provided by CT and the value of CTDI vol after application of the correction factor, plus the average percentage change for each BMI group. The mean percentage change was between 54% and 19% for sample 1 and between 35% and 10% for sample 2, the lowest to highest BMI group. There was a reduction in the medium average percent with the increasing of the BMI groups in both samples. A larger sample of individuals for verification of results is required

to compare abdominalcomputer tomography (CT) with isolated serial clinical exam (SCE) in the management of anterior abdominal stab wounds. randomized prospective study performed at Hospital de Pronto Socorro de Porto Alegre involving patients with anterior abdominal stab wounds without indication of immediate laparotomy; patients were divided in two groups: CT group and SCE group, In the SCE group, patients were followed up with serial clinical exam every 6 hours, Patients of CT group were submitted to abdominalcomputer tomography after initial evaluation. 66 patients were studied and 33 were included in each group, Of total, six were submitted to surgery, three of each group, In the SCE group, patients submitted to surgery in media waited 12 hours from arrival to diagnosis without any non-therapeutic surgeries, The remaining 30 patients of this group were discharged from hospital after 24 hours of observation, In the CT group, three patients showed alteration at CT and were submitted to laparotomy, one non-therapeutic, The others were discharged from hospital after 24 hours of observation, Abdominalcomputer tomography had a positive predictive value (PPV) of 67% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 100%, with 96% of accuracy, Isolated serial clinical exam showed PPV and NPV of 100% and 100% of accuracy. selective management of anterior abdominal stabs is safe, when a rigorous selection of patients is observed, Isolated serial clinical exam may be performed without computer tomography, without increase of hospitalization time or morbidity, reducing costs, exposure to radiation, mortality and morbidity and non-therapeutic laparotomies.

Fifteen patients with a suspected abdominal abscess were examined by both gallium-67 and computed tomographic scanning. The Ga-67 scan was a useful screening examination, correctly identifying all eight cases of infection, whereas the CT scan missed one case of a pericecal phlegmon. Misdiagnosis of infection by Ga-67 scan occurred in 2/8 cases without infection but the CT scan correctly identified all noninfected patients. While this series is too small to decide whether there is any significant difference in the ability of the two procedures to suggest the correct diagnosis, it is felt that Ga-67 and subsequent CT scans may be complementary in that a Ga-67 scan can initially locate the abnormality and thus direct the CT scan, which can confirm the diagnosis or avoid a misinterpretation of the Ga-67 scan. Computed tomography also provides more anatomical detail, better location of the lesion, and demonstrates lesions noninfectious in nature

Computed tomographic (CT) scanning is increasingly used in patients with abdominal gunshot wounds (AGSWs) selected for nonoperative management (NOM). Triple-contrast CT scanning (i.e., intravenous, oral, and rectal) has produced encouraging initial results. The exact role and usefulness of CT scanning with intravenous contrast only is unknown. Hemodynamically stable AGSW patients without generalized abdominal tenderness were offered a trial of NOM, underwent single-contrast (intravenous) CT scanning, and were prospectively followed from July 1, 2002, to May 31, 2004. The sensitivity and specificity of CT scanning to detect organ injuries requiring repair were calculated against the clinical results of NOM. The effect of CT scanning in management was recorded. One hundred patients with nontangential AGSWs were included. Twenty-six required laparotomy, which was nontherapeutic in five (19%). These five patients underwent operation on the basis of misleading CT findings (n = 3) or development of clinical symptoms (n = 2). Two CT scans were false-negative, and these patients were operated on at 121 and 307 minutes after arrival for hollow visceral injuries and recovered without postoperative complications. Three CT scans were false-positive and resulted in nontherapeutic laparotomies without postoperative complications. The sensitivity and specificity of CT scanning was 90.5% and 96%, respectively. CT findings resulted in a change of management in 40 patients. In nine, the decision to operate was changed to a decision to manage nonoperatively; whereas in eight, the opposite occurred. In addition, in 17, the decision to observe was changed to a decision to discharge; whereas in 1, the opposite occurred. Finally, five patients had additional tests after the findings of CT scanning. Abdominal CT scanning is a safe and useful method of selecting AGSW patients for NOM. Further exploration is needed to define the precise benefits of routine CT scanning over clinical

Eleven patients with various extrahepatic right-upper-quadrant lesions had findings on computed tomography (CT) that strongly suggested intrahepatic location. Diagnostic uncertainties on CT were caused by the large size of these masses (5-12 cm in diameter) and sparsity of retroperitoneal fat planes. Sonography depicted the true location of these lesions more clearly than CT. The complementary role of sonography is stressed.

Full Text Available Computational methods have played an important role in health care in recent years, as determining parameters that affect a certain medical condition is not possible in experimental conditions in many cases. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD methods have been used to accurately determine the nature of blood flow in the cardiovascular and nervous systems and air flow in the respiratory system, thereby giving the surgeon a diagnostic tool to plan treatment accordingly. Machine learning or data mining (MLD methods are currently used to develop models that learn from retrospective data to make a prediction regarding factors affecting the progression of a disease. These models have also been successful in incorporating factors such as patient history and occupation. MLD models can be used as a predictive tool to determine rupture potential in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA along with CFD-based prediction of parameters like wall shear stress and pressure distributions. A combination of these computer methods can be pivotal in bridging the gap between translational and outcomes research in medicine. This paper reviews the use of computational methods in the diagnosis and treatment of AAA.

We report the rare case of a lithopedion in an asymptomatic 69-yearold woman. Diagnosis was confirmed by plain abdominal X-ray. In view of the patient's age and symptomatology, we opted for conservative management with regular abdominal examination and imaging.

Full Text Available Ultrasound image is the primary (input information for every ultrasonic examination. Since being used in ultrasound images analysis the both knowledge-base decision support and content-based image retrieval techniques have their own restrictions, the combination of these techniques looks promissory for covering the restrictions of one by advances of another. In this work we have focused on implementation of the proposed combination in the frame of CASAD (Computer-Aided Sonography of Abdominal Diseases system for supplying the ultrasound examiner with a diagnostic-assistant tool based on a data warehouse of standard referenced images. This warehouse serves: to manifest the diagnosis when the ecographist specifies the pathology and then looks through corresponding images to verify his opinion; to suggest a second opinion by automatic analysis of the annotation of relevant images that were assessed from the repository using content-based image retrieval.

Ultrasonography and/or abdominalcomputed tomography revealed 9 patients with subphrenic abscesses derived from gastrointestinal surgery. Out of them 4 cases underwent conservative treatment is chosen with aggresive chemotherapy, but 5 were re-surgically treated including drainage of the intraperitonial abscess or repairing the leakage of the anastomosis. On the conservative treatment for the intraperitonial abscess, frequent monitoring with ultrasonography was very conventional for successful treatment. However, in the cases with severe leukocytosis, leakage of anastomosis or recurrent intraperitonial abscess, resurgical treatment will be required. Thus the monitoring with ultrasonography is quite usefull not only in the drainaging of the intraperitonial abscess, but also in the judgement of treatment whether conservetive or re-operative.

Ultrasonography and/or abdominalcomputed tomography revealed 9 patients with subphrenic abscesses derived from gastrointestinal surgery. Out of them 4 cases underwent conservative treatment is chosen with aggresive chemotherapy, but 5 were re-surgically treated including drainage of the intraperitonial abscess or repairing the leakage of the anastomosis. On the conservative treatment for the intraperitonial abscess, frequent monitoring with ultrasonography was very conventional for successful treatment. However, in the cases with severe leukocytosis, leakage of anastomosis or recurrent intraperitonial abscess, resurgical treatment will be required. Thus the monitoring with ultrasonography is quite usefull not only in the drainaging of the intraperitonial abscess, but also in the judgement of treatment whether conservetive or re-operative. (author)

Full Text Available Abstract Tuberculosis is a disease whose incidence has increased principally as a consequence of HIV infection and use of immunosuppressive drugs. The abdomen is the most common site of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. It may be confused with several different conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, cancer and other infectious diseases. Delay in the diagnosis may result in significantly increased morbidity, and therefore an early recognition of the condition is essential for proper treatment. In the present essay, cases with confirmed diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis were assessed by means of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, demonstrating the involvement of different organs and systems, and presentations which frequently lead radiologists to a diagnostic dilemma. A brief literature review was focused on imaging findings and their respective prevalence.

Tuberculosis is a disease whose incidence has increased principally as a consequence of HIV infection and use of immunosuppressive drugs. The abdomen is the most common site of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. It may be confused with several different conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, cancer and other infectious diseases. Delay in the diagnosis may result in significantly increased morbidity, and therefore an early recognition of the condition is essential for proper treatment. In the present essay, cases with confirmed diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis were assessed by means of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, demonstrating the involvement of different organs and systems, and presentations which frequently lead radiologists to a diagnostic dilemma. A brief literature review was focused on imaging findings and their respective prevalence. (author)

Objective: to evaluate the necessity of the non contrast-enhanced phase in abdominalcomputed tomography scans. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study was developed, evaluating 244 consecutive abdominalcomputed tomography scans both with and without contrast injection. Initially, the contrast-enhanced images were analyzed (first analysis). Subsequently, the observers had access to the non-contrast-enhanced images for a second analysis. The primary and secondary diagnoses were established as a function of the clinical indications for each study (such as tumor staging, acute abdomen, investigation for abdominal collection and hepatocellular carcinoma, among others). Finally, the changes in the diagnoses resulting from the addition of the non-contrast-enhanced phase were evaluated. Results: Only one (0.4%; p > 0.999; non-statistically significant) out of the 244 reviewed cases had the diagnosis changed after the reading of non-contrast-enhanced images. As the secondary diagnoses are considered, 35 (14%) cases presented changes after the second analysis, as follows: nephrolithiasis (10%), steatosis (3%), adrenal nodule (0.7%) and cholelithiasis (0.3%). Conclusion: For the clinical indications of tumor staging, acute abdomen, investigation of abdominal collections and hepatocellular carcinoma, the non-contrast-enhanced phase can be excluded from abdominalcomputed tomography studies with no significant impact on the diagnosis. (author)

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the necessity of the non contrast-enhanced phase in abdominalcomputed tomography scans. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study was developed, evaluating 244 consecutive abdominalcomputed tomography scans both with and without contrast injection. Initially, the contrast-enhanced images were analyzed (first analysis. Subsequently, the observers had access to the non-contrast-enhanced images for a second analysis. The primary and secondary diagnoses were established as a function of the clinical indications for each study (such as tumor staging, acute abdomen, investigation for abdominal collection and hepatocellular carcinoma, among others. Finally, the changes in the diagnoses resulting from the addition of the non-contrast-enhanced phase were evaluated. Results: Only one (0.4%; p > 0.999; non-statistically significant out of the 244 reviewed cases had the diagnosis changed after the reading of non-contrast-enhanced images. As the secondary diagnoses are considered, 35 (14% cases presented changes after the second analysis, as follows: nephrolithiasis (10%, steatosis (3%, adrenal nodule (0.7% and cholelithiasis (0.3%. Conclusion: For the clinical indications of tumor staging, acute abdomen, investigation of abdominal collections and hepatocellular carcinoma, the non-contrast-enhanced phase can be excluded from abdominalcomputed tomography studies with no significant impact on the diagnosis.

Full Text Available Objective To investigate the influence of body mass index (BMI and abdominal girth index (AGI on the location and etiology of ischemic stroke in order to determine whether they can predict the etiology and pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Methods A total of 185 patients with acute ischemic stroke and 155 cases of normal controls matched in sex, age and past medical history were enrolled in this study. Their height and weight were measured to calculate BMI, and abdominal circumference was measured to calculate AGI. Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project (OCSP and TOAST classification were carried out. Results BMI of overweight (BMI 24.00-27.90 kg/m2 subgroup (t = 2.060, P = 0.000 and obesity (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2 subgroup (t = 2.315, P = 0.000 in patients with ischemic stroke was significantly higher than that in control group. AGI of abnomaly (AGI > 1 cm/kg subgroup in patients with ischemic stroke was significantly higher than that in control group (t = 1.021, P = 0.000. Based on OCSP classification, 185 patients with ischemic stroke were classified into 10 (5.41% of total anterior circulation infarct (TACI, 81 (43.78% of partial anterior circulation infarct (PACI, 56 (30.27% of lacunar infarct (LACI and 38 (20.54% of posterior circulation infarct (POCI. Only the PACI ratio among different BMI subgroups had statistical significance (H = 7.041, P = 0.011. PACI ratio in BMI 24.00-27.90 kg/m2 subgroup was significantly higher than that in BMI 1 cm/kg subgroup was significantly higher (χ2 = 11.461, P = 0.001, while SOE ratio was significantly lower ( χ2 = 4.558, P = 0.033 than that in AGI ≤ 1 cm/kg subgroup. Conclusions BMI and AGI can influence the location and etiology of ischemic stroke, which can be used to predict the etiology and pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2017.11.011

At present, several regions and countries are considering screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However, The Chichester Aneurysms Screening Trial has reported poor long term benefit of screening for AAA. We therefore supplement previously published data with a preliminary analysis...

To describe the abdominal imaging findings of patients with gastrointestinal Basidiobolus ranarum infection. A literature search was performed to compile the abdominal imaging findings of all reported worldwide cases of gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis (GIB). In addition, a retrospective review at our institution was performed to identify GIB cases that had imaging findings. A radiologist aware of the diagnosis reviewed the imaging findings in detail. Additional information was obtained from the medical records. A total of 73 GIB cases have been published in the medical literature. The most common abdominal imaging findings were masses in the colon, the liver, or multiple sites and bowel wall thickening. Initially, many patients were considered to have either a neoplasm or Crohn disease. We identified 7 proven cases of GIB at our institution, of which 4 had imaging studies (4 computed tomography [CT] examinations, 4 abdominal radiographs, and an upper gastrointestinal study). Imaging studies showed abnormalities in all 4 cases. Three-fourths of our study patients had an abdominalmass at CT. Two of 3 masses involved the kidneys and included urinary obstruction. All masses showed an inflammatory component with adjacent soft tissue stranding, with or without abscess formation. Radiologists should consider GIB when a patient from an arid climate presents with abdominal pain, weight loss, and an inflammatory abdominalmass on CT. Abdominalmasses of the colon or liver, bowel wall thickening, and abscesses are the most common imaging findings.

The effect of abdominal adiposity and muscle on fracture is unclear in older men; therefore, we examined the association among 749 men aged 65+. Among various adipose tissues and muscle groups, lower psoas muscle volume and higher fatty infiltration of abdominal muscle contribute to higher fractu...

Abdominal injury is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in childhood. Ten percent of trauma-related deaths are due to abdominal injury. Thousands of children are involved in auto accidents annually; many suffer severe internal injury. Child abuse is a second less frequent but equally serious cause of internal abdominal injury. The descriptions of McCort and Eisenstein and their associates in the 1960s first brought to attention the frequency and severity of visceral injury as important manifestations of the child abuse syndrome. Blunt abdominal trauma often causes multiple injuries; in the past, many children have been subjected to exploratory surgery to evaluate the extent of possible hidden injury. Since the advent of noninvasive radiologic imaging techniques including radionuclide scans and ultrasound and, especially, computed tomography (CT), the radiologist has been better able to assess (accurately) the extent of abdominal injury and thus allow conservative therapy in many cases. Penetrating abdominal trauma occurs following gunshot wounds, stabbing, and other similar injury. This is fortunately, a relatively uncommon occurrence in most pediatric centers and will not be discussed specifically here, although many principles of blunt trauma diagnosis are valid for evaluation of penetrating abdominal trauma. If there is any question that a wound has extended intraperitonelly, a sinogram with water-soluble contrast material allows quick, accurate diagnosis. The presence of large amounts of free intraperitoneal gas suggests penetrating injury to the colon or other gas-containing viscus and is generally considered an indication for surgery

Full Text Available Abstract Background Aneurysms, in particular abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA, form a significant portion of cardiovascular related deaths. There is much debate as to the most suitable tool for rupture prediction and interventional surgery of AAAs, and currently maximum diameter is used clinically as the determining factor for surgical intervention. Stress analysis techniques, such as finite element analysis (FEA to compute the wall stress in patient-specific AAAs, have been regarded by some authors to be more clinically important than the use of a "one-size-fits-all" maximum diameter criterion, since some small AAAs have been shown to have higher wall stress than larger AAAs and have been known to rupture. Methods A patient-specific AAA was selected from our AAA database and 3D reconstruction was performed. The AAA was then modelled in this study using three different approaches, namely, AAA(SIMP, AAA(MOD and AAA(COMP, with each model examined using linear and non-linear material properties. All models were analysed using the finite element method for wall stress distributions. Results Wall stress results show marked differences in peak wall stress results between the three methods. Peak wall stress was shown to reduce when more realistic parameters were utilised. It was also noted that wall stress was shown to reduce by 59% when modelled using the most accurate non-linear complex approach, compared to the same model without intraluminal thrombus. Conclusion The results here show that using more realistic parameters affect resulting wall stress. The use of simplified computational modelling methods can lead to inaccurate stress distributions. Care should be taken when examining stress results found using simplified techniques, in particular, if the wall stress results are to have clinical importance.

Full Text Available A 52-year-old woman presented with a history of diabetes mellitus under medical treatment and a surgical history of a cesarean section 20 years ago. The patient was referred to our emergency department because of a 2-week hypermenorrhea and unspecific abdominal pain without nausea and vomiting, fever, or other symptoms. She did not complain of weight loss.

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC is a widely used method, which is accurate and safe in a readily palpable masses. But, in those inaccessible lesions and deeper organs are safely aspirated using fine needle radiological procedure like ultrasound or computed tomography guided. The aim of the study is to assess the utility of FNAC in the diagnosis of intra-abdominal lesions and different pattern of lesions in particular to the sites. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study was done in the Department of Pathology, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS, Imphal, between June 2010 and June 2016. The study included 128 intra-abdominalmasses. Giemsa and Papanicolaou’s stains were used. The cytological diagnosis was correlated with clinical and radiological data to arrive at a final diagnosis. RESULTS Reports on FNAC smears were retrospectively analysed, which had been done in various anatomic sites- liver (70 cases, colon (19 cases, gallbladder (17 cases, mesenteric lymph nodes (12 cases, ovary (3 cases, adrenals (2 cases and 1 case each of pancreas, peritoneal wall, pelvic, suprapubic and flank masses. The mean age was 42.16 years with M:F of 1.3:1. The diagnostic yield was 85.2% in combination for Ultrasound Guided (USG and Computed Tomography (CT guided aspiration. The smears were classified as benign neoplastic, malignant neoplastic, non-neoplastic, inconclusive and unsatisfactory for interpretation. There were 79 (61.7% malignant neoplastic lesion, 5 (3.9% benign neoplastic lesion, 25 (19.5% non-neoplastic lesion, one (0.7% inconclusive lesions and 18 (14.1% unsatisfactory smears. The liver and the colon were the most common sites. Adenocarcinomas and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC were the most common malignant lesions comprising of 35 (44.3% and 25 (31.6% of the total malignant lesions diagnosed. CONCLUSION Intra-abdominal FNA is a simple, economical and a safe procedure with high sensitivity, specificity and

Computed tomography (CT) was used to study an abdominalmass in a patient who presented with acute abdominal pain. The CT demonstration of sac-like encapsulation of small bowel loops allowed a diagnosis of internal hernia.

Introduced to study components of ionized gas, the mass spectrometer has evolved into a highly accurate device now used in many undergraduate and research laboratories. Unfortunately, despite their importance in the formation of future scientists, mass spectrometers remain beyond the financial reach of many high schools and colleges. As a result,…

Work-up for patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) following an anterior abdominal stab wound (AASW) has been debated since the 1960s. Experts agree that patients with peritonitis, evisceration, or hemodynamic instability should undergo immediate laparotomy (LAP), however, workup of stable, asymptomatic or non-peritoneal, patients is not clearly defined. To evaluate the accuracy of computed tomography of abdomen and pelvis (CTAP) for diagnosis of intra-abdominal injuries requiring Therapeutic Laparotomy (THER-LAP) in ED patients with AASW. Is a negative CT scan without a period of observation sufficient to safely discharge a hemodynamically stable, asymptomatic AASW patient? We searched PUBMED, EMBASE, and Scopus from their inception until May 2017 for studies on ED patients with AASW. We defined the reference standard test as LAP for patients who were managed surgically and those with THER-LAP were considered as disease-positive. In those who were managed nonsurgically, inpatient observation was considered the reference standard. We used the Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) to evaluate the risk of bias and applicability of the included studies. We attempted to compute the pooled sensitivity, specificity, Likelihood Ratios (LR+, LR-) using a random-effects model with MetaDiSc software and calculate testing and treatment thresholds for CT scan applying the Pauker and Kassirer model. Seven studies were included encompassing 575 patients. The weighted prevalence of THER-LAP was 34.3% (95% CI 30.5-38.2%). Studies had variable quality and the inclusion criteria were not uniform. The operating characteristics of CT scan were: sensitivity 50%-100%, specificity 39%-97%, LR+ 1.0-15.7 and LR- 0.07-1.0. The high heterogeneity (I-square>75%) of the operating characteristics of CT scan prevented pooling of the data and therefore the testing and treatment thresholds could not be estimated. The articles revealed a high prevalence (8

There have been many different opinions over the efficacy of routinely incorporating liver-window settings in abdominalcomputed tomography (CT) scans. As a result, different clinical centres have varying protocols for incorporating liver-windows for abdominal CT scans. This investigation aims to explore and determine whether various clinical centres throughout Victoria use liver-window settings selectively or routinely and their justification for doing so. An additional purpose is also to assess the benefits and rationale of liver-window settings in supplementing routine soft-tissue-windows for abdominal CT examinations by reviewing evidenced-based studies. Surveys were sent out to CT supervisors at various clinical centres, including private and public institutions. This achieved an overall response rate of 74 per cent. Results indicate that the majority of clinical centres throughout Victoria routinely incorporate liver-window settings for all abdominal CT examinations. Forty four per cent (11/25) of respondents stated that they utilise liver-window settings selectively for abdominal CT examinations. Most of these respondents (7/11 = 63 per cent) believed that soft-tissue-window settings alone are adequate to demonstrate hepatic lesions; particularly if intravenous contrast media is used and the liver is captured in the arterial, venous and/or delayed phases. The benefits and rationale of incorporating liver-window settings for all abdominalcomputed tomography scans has been questioned by two well noted studies in the United States. These evidence-based studies suggest that such additional settings do not offer further advantages in detecting hepatic disease, when compared to soft-tissue-windows alone. Review of the available literature provides additional evidence suggesting that the routine use of liver-window settings in conjunction with soft-tissue-windows offers no further advantages in the detection of hepatic diseases. This investigation found, however

Full Text Available Contrast-enhanced computed tomography using iodinated contrast media is useful for diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases. However, contrast-induced nephropathy remains problematic for kidney diseases patients. Although current guidelines recommended the use of a minimal dose of contrast media necessary to obtain adequate images for diagnosis, obtaining adequate images with sufficient contrast enhancement is difficult with conventional computed tomography using reduced contrast media. Dual-layer spectral detector computed tomography enables the simultaneous acquisition of low- and high-energy data and the reconstruction of virtual monochromatic images ranging from 40 to 200 keV, retrospectively. Low-energy virtual monochromatic images can enhance the contrast of images, thereby facilitating reduced contrast media. In case 1, abdominalcomputed tomography angiography at 50 keV using 40% of the conventional dose of contrast media revealed the artery that was the source of diverticular bleeding in the ascending colon. In case 2, ischemia of the transverse colon was diagnosed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography and iodine-selective imaging using 40% of the conventional dose of contrast media. In case 3, advanced esophagogastric junctional cancer was staged and preoperative abdominalcomputed tomography angiography could be obtained with 30% of the conventional dose of contrast media. However, the texture of virtual monochromatic images may be a limitation at low energy. Keywords: Virtual monochromatic images, Contrast-induced nephropathy

This book offers an easy-to-understand introduction to the computationalmass transfer (CMT) method. On the basis of the contents of the first edition, this new edition is characterized by the following additional materials. It describes the successful application of this method to the simulation of the mass transfer process in a fluidized bed, as well as recent investigations and computing methods for predictions for the multi-component mass transfer process. It also demonstrates the general issues concerning computational methods for simulating the mass transfer of the rising bubble process. This new edition has been reorganized by moving the preparatory materials for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Computational Heat Transfer into appendices, additions of new chapters, and including three new appendices on, respectively, generalized representation of the two-equation model for the CMT, derivation of the equilibrium distribution function in the lattice-Boltzmann method, and derivation of the Navier-S...

Abdominal CT angiography has been increasingly used for evaluation of various conditions related to abdominal vasculature in the pediatric population. However, no direct comparison has evaluated the quality of abdominal CT angiography in children using hand versus mechanical administration of intravenous (IV) contrast agent. To compare hand versus mechanical administration of IV contrast agent in the quality of abdominal CT angiography in the pediatric population. We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical record to identify pediatric patients (≤18 years) who had abdominal CT angiography between August 2012 and August 2013. The information obtained includes: (1) type of administration of IV contrast agent (hand [group 1] versus mechanical [group 2]), (2) size (gauge) of IV catheter, (3) amount of contrast agent administered and (4) rate of contrast agent administration (ml/s). Two reviewers independently performed qualitative and quantitative evaluation of abdominal CT angiography image quality. Qualitative evaluation of abdominal CT angiography image quality was performed by visual assessment of the degree of contrast enhancement in the region of interest (ROI) based on a 4-point scale. Quantitative evaluation of each CT angiography examination was performed by measuring the Hounsfield unit (HU) using an ROI within the abdominal aorta at two levels (celiac axis and the inferior mesenteric artery) for each child. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the F-test was applied to compare contrast enhancement within the abdominal aorta at two levels (celiac axis and inferior mesenteric artery) between hand administration and mechanical administration of IV contrast methods with adjustment for age. We identified 46 pediatric patients (24 male, 22 female; mean age 7.3 ± 5.5 years; range 5 weeks to 18 years) with abdominal CT angiography performed during the study period. Of these patients, 16 (35%; 1.7 ± 2.2 years; range 5 weeks to 5 years) had hand

Abdominal CT angiography has been increasingly used for evaluation of various conditions related to abdominal vasculature in the pediatric population. However, no direct comparison has evaluated the quality of abdominal CT angiography in children using hand versus mechanical administration of intravenous (IV) contrast agent. To compare hand versus mechanical administration of IV contrast agent in the quality of abdominal CT angiography in the pediatric population. We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical record to identify pediatric patients (≤18 years) who had abdominal CT angiography between August 2012 and August 2013. The information obtained includes: (1) type of administration of IV contrast agent (hand [group 1] versus mechanical [group 2]), (2) size (gauge) of IV catheter, (3) amount of contrast agent administered and (4) rate of contrast agent administration (ml/s). Two reviewers independently performed qualitative and quantitative evaluation of abdominal CT angiography image quality. Qualitative evaluation of abdominal CT angiography image quality was performed by visual assessment of the degree of contrast enhancement in the region of interest (ROI) based on a 4-point scale. Quantitative evaluation of each CT angiography examination was performed by measuring the Hounsfield unit (HU) using an ROI within the abdominal aorta at two levels (celiac axis and the inferior mesenteric artery) for each child. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the F-test was applied to compare contrast enhancement within the abdominal aorta at two levels (celiac axis and inferior mesenteric artery) between hand administration and mechanical administration of IV contrast methods with adjustment for age. We identified 46 pediatric patients (24 male, 22 female; mean age 7.3 ± 5.5 years; range 5 weeks to 18 years) with abdominal CT angiography performed during the study period. Of these patients, 16 (35%; 1.7 ± 2.2 years; range 5 weeks to 5 years) had hand

We present a case of an 18-year-old male who presented with complains of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting for 2 years. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed a 3 mm nodule on the lesser curvature of the stomach and prominent gastric folds. Biopsy of the nodule revealed a well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor (NET) in lamina prop with focal extension into muscularis mucosa consistent with a gastric carcinoid. Tumor cells stained with neuron-specific enolase (NSE), chromogranin and synaptophysin only. The prominent gastric fold biopsy revealed gastric fundic mucosa with mucosal edema and focal mild chronic inflammation. Serum gastrin level was found to be 2,083 pg/mL. Abdomen CT and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) revealed a mass near the pancreatic neck. These findings were consistent with a functional gastrin producing well-differentiated grade 1 neuroendocrine neoplasm (gastrinoma). The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy with resection of the mass and resulting in normalization of gastrin levels.

We present a case of an 18-year-old male who presented with complains of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting for 2 years. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed a 3 mm nodule on the lesser curvature of the stomach and prominent gastric folds. Biopsy of the nodule revealed a well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor (NET) in lamina prop with focal extension into muscularis mucosa consistent with a gastric carcinoid. Tumor cells stained with neuron-specific enolase (NSE), chromogranin and synaptophysin only. The prominent gastric fold biopsy revealed gastric fundic mucosa with mucosal edema and focal mild chronic inflammation. Serum gastrin level was found to be 2,083 pg/mL. Abdomen CT and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) revealed a mass near the pancreatic neck. These findings were consistent with a functional gastrin producing well-differentiated grade 1 neuroendocrine neoplasm (gastrinoma). The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy with resection of the mass and resulting in normalization of gastrin levels. PMID:29511413

An important consideration in four-dimensional CT scanning is the selection of a breathing metric for sorting the CT data and modeling internal motion. This study compared two noninvasive breathing metrics, spirometry and abdominal height, against internal air content, used as a surrogate for internal motion. Both metrics were shown to be accurate, but the spirometry showed a stronger and more reproducible relationship than the abdominal height in the lung. The abdominal height was known to be affected by sensor placement and patient positioning while the spirometer exhibited signal drift. By combining these two, a normalization of the drift-free metric to tidal volume may be generated and the overall metric precision may be improved

Abdominal obesity, especially, visceral obesity is thought to be a risk factor of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease. Based on previous studies visceral fat accumulation is highly related to these diseases compared to subcutaneous fat accumulation. The purpose of this study was to see the relation between abdominal obesity and lipid profiles in adult women. The included subjects were 25 adult women(BMI > 23 kg/m{sup 2} ), who visited the obesity clinic in a general hospital from April 2006 to September 2007. Blood pressure, fasting glucose and lipid profiles were measured. The abdominal fat distribution had been assessed by CT scan at the level of L4-L5. From bivariate analyses, the visceral fat accumulation showed negative correlations with TC and TC/HDL. The BMI, total abdominal fat and Visceral fat/Subcutaneous fat ratio showed significant correlations with visceral fat accumulation. From linear regression analyses of all the study subjects, TC, TG and HDL were found to be determinants of the visceral fat accumulation (R{sup 2}=0.474).

Abdominal obesity, especially, visceral obesity is thought to be a risk factor of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease. Based on previous studies visceral fat accumulation is highly related to these diseases compared to subcutaneous fat accumulation. The purpose of this study was to see the relation between abdominal obesity and lipid profiles in adult women. The included subjects were 25 adult women(BMI > 23 kg/m 2 ), who visited the obesity clinic in a general hospital from April 2006 to September 2007. Blood pressure, fasting glucose and lipid profiles were measured. The abdominal fat distribution had been assessed by CT scan at the level of L4-L5. From bivariate analyses, the visceral fat accumulation showed negative correlations with TC and TC/HDL. The BMI, total abdominal fat and Visceral fat/Subcutaneous fat ratio showed significant correlations with visceral fat accumulation. From linear regression analyses of all the study subjects, TC, TG and HDL were found to be determinants of the visceral fat accumulation (R 2 =0.474).

to treat" from the date of randomisation. RESULTS: The attendance rate was 76.6% and 191 (4.0%) had an AAA. The median observation time was 9.58 years. In the invited group 13 subjects were acutely operated on compared to 40 in the control group (Risk ratio: 0.32 (95% C.I. 0.17-0.60, P...,333 were invited to an abdominal ultrasound scan at their district hospital. Information on all deaths until 15.3.2005 was obtained from the Office of Civil Registration. Information on AAA related deaths was obtained from the national registry of Causes of Deaths from 1.4.1994 to 31...

The objectives were to (i) measure the effects of a 1-year lifestyle modification program on body fat distribution/anthropometric variables; (ii) determine the interrelationships between changes in all these variables; and (iii) investigate whether there is a selective reduction in deep (DSAT) vs. superficial subcutaneous adipose tissue (SSAT) at the abdominal level following a 1-year lifestyle modification program. Anthropometric variables, body composition and abdominal and midthigh fat distribution were assessed at baseline and after 1 year in 109 sedentary, dyslipidemic and abdominally obese men. Reductions in anthropometric variables, skinfold thicknesses (except the trunk/extremity ratio) and fat mass as well as an increase in fat-free mass were observed after 1 year (p abdominal adipose tissue volumes were also noted (-23%, -26%, -18%, -19%, -17%, p muscle area and an increase (+1%, p muscle area were also observed. There was a positive relationship between changes in visceral adipose tissue and changes in DSAT (r = 0.65, p muscle quality in abdominally obese men.

Ten patients with peritoneal tuberculosis who were operated on for suspected advanced ovarian cancer during a 5-year period were analyzed. These 10 cases constituted 1.4% of the 728 new gynecologic cancer cases diagnosed and treated at our department during the same time period. Data were obtained from patients' files and pathology reports. The mean age of cases was 40.6 +/- 6.1 (median 37; range 18-72). Ascites was present together with ill-defined nodularities or thickening in the Douglas pouch and/or in the adnexal areas on pelvic examination in all patients but three, who presented with well-demarcated adnexal masses of about 5 cm in diameter. All patients had elevated serum CA 125 levels with a median of 331 U/ml, (40-560 U/ml). Ultrasound and abdominopelvic CT examinations revealed omental and mesenteric thickening in addition to ascites in all patients, cystic ovarian masses or ovarian enlargement in five, and peritoneal implants in two. Abdominal paracentesis performed in the six cases in whom the findings were felt to be most inconclusive for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer revealed clear exudative fluid with benign cells. Mycobacteria could not be demonstrated on direct preparations. Tuberculosis was diagnosed at laparotomy in all. Patients received antituberculous therapy and serum CA 125 levels returned to normal within 2 months after the beginning of treatment. This case series demonstrates a high rate of misdiagnosis between advanced ovarian cancer and peritoneal tuberculosis. Whereas abdominal paracentesis is useless in ruling out peritoneal tuberculosis, and serum CA 125 levels are not helpful in the differential diagnosis, the latter marker may be useful in the follow-up of patients.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is rarely diagnosed in infancy or childhood. The renal involvement is typically bilateral. We describe two children with ADPKD (autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease) presenting with a unilateral renal mass. The value of a careful genetic history and the role of sonography will be discussed. (orig.)

This book presents a new computational methodology called ComputationalMass Transfer (CMT). It offers an approach to rigorously simulating the mass, heat and momentum transfer under turbulent flow conditions with the help of two newly published models, namely the C’2—εC’ model and the Reynolds mass flux model, especially with regard to predictions of concentration, temperature and velocity distributions in chemical and related processes. The book will also allow readers to understand the interfacial phenomena accompanying the mass transfer process and methods for modeling the interfacial effect, such as the influences of Marangoni convection and Rayleigh convection. The CMT methodology is demonstrated by means of its applications to typical separation and chemical reaction processes and equipment, including distillation, absorption, adsorption and chemical reactors. Professor Kuo-Tsong Yu is a Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Dr. Xigang Yuan is a Professor at the School of Chemical Engine...

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare CT findings of adrenal incidentalomas with a definitive histological diagnosis in order to establish CT features characteristic for individual types of lesions. Patients and methods: The retrospective study comprised of patients with adrenal lesions detected on abdominal CT. The patients with these incidental findings subsequently underwent adrenalectomy. The adrenalectomy was followed by a histological assessment of the expansion process. The study consisted of 62 adrenal expansions found in 55 patients (in seven patients bilateral lesions were found). According to the definitive histological diagnosis after adrenalectomy, the lesions were divided into the following six groups: primary adrenocortical carcinoma (n = 4), metastasis (n = 7), adrenocortical adenoma (n = 37), pheochromocytoma (n = 9), myelolipoma (n = 2), and others (n = 3). CT observations were categorized as follows: size, shape, margins, density, side of the expansion, homogeneous or heterogeneous density before and after contrast application, presence of central hypodensity, presence of central calcifications and fat deposits. Statistical analysis was carried out using the χ 2 -test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test. To estimate the differences between the subgroups, the t-test was used. For the evaluation of the mutual relations of maximum size, mean size, and volume, regression analysis (coefficient of determination R 2 ) was used. Results: The correlation and regression analysis suggest that there will be no statistically significant error if the maximum size measurements are used instead of the mean size or volume measurements of the lesion. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value for distinguishing adenomas and non-adenomas using a cut-off diameter of 41.5 mm were 81.1%, 70.0%, 77.2%, 83.3%, 66.7%, respectively; using the non-contrast density threshold of 23 HU, they were 89.2%, 100%, 93

Mass communication as a programme in education is an important subject in the training of students. Here, we determined the effects of improving the teaching of the subject in a tertiary institution like Cross River University of Technology through the use of computer assisted picture presentation. The study was ...

A 62-year-old male presented with sudden onset of low back and right leg pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography demonstrated an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), along with a large mass lesion causing vertebral body erosion. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested that the mass lesion consisted of a chronic hematoma. Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) demonstrated increased uptake around the mass lesion, but not around the AAA. Surgical intervention was performed, and the subsequent histological diagnosis was chronic contained rupture of AAA. The mass lesion consisted of chronic hematoma and necrosis with inflammatory cell infiltration and hemosiderin deposition. This condition mimics some neoplastic diseases, but MRI and FDG-PET findings may help establish the correct diagnosis.

Full Text Available Background: Traditionally, a laparotomy wound is closed in layers co-opting the various layers anatomically. A new method of closure, namely single layer closure technique (mass closure technique has come into vogue. Aims: This study aims to evaluate the benefits or otherwise between single layer closure and layered closure after comparing it with studies available in literature. Settings and Design: This study was performed in a teaching institute in patients undergoing laparotomy, either planned or emergency. Materials and Methods: A total of 80 cases were selected at random and the study was carried out over a period of 2 years. The cases were equally divided into two groups of 40. In both groups, vertical midline incision was used. In the first group, abdomen was closed using the single layer closure technique. Continuous suturing with burial of the knots was done in 20 patients and interrupted mass closure was done in another 20 patients. In the other group, the abdomen was closed in layers. The patients were followed up for minimum 6 months. Patients who did not turn up for follow up were asked to notify the development of any wound complication through postal correspondence. Results: The time required for closure was considerably less when continuous suture technique was used. One patient in the mass closure group and four in the layered group developed post-operative wound infections. One patient in the layered closure group developed a stitch sinus. There were two cases of burst abdomen with the layered closure technique. Two patients in the layered closure group developed incisional hernias 6 months post-operatively. Conclusions: Single layer closure technique offers certain definite advantage over the layered closure technique with respect to the time required for closure of the incision, incidence of wound dehiscence and the incidence of incisional hernia. However, the true incidence of wound dehiscence (burst abdomen and incisional

Background and purpose: To analyze the differences in intrafractional organ movement throughout the breathing cycles between the supine and prone positions using four-dimensional computed tomography (4D CT). Materials and methods: We performed 4D CT on nine volunteers in the supine and prone positions, with each examinee asked to breathe normally during scanning. The movement of abdominal organs in the cranio-caudal (CC), anterior-posterior (AP) and right-left (RL) directions was quantified by contouring on each phase between inspiration and expiration. Results: The mean intrafractional motions of the hepatic dome, lower tip, pancreatic head and tail, both kidneys, spleen, and celiac axis in the supine/prone position were 17.3/13.0, 14.4/11.0, 12.8/8.9, 13.0/10.0, 14.3/12.1, 12.3/12.6, 11.7/12.6 and 2.2/1.8 mm, respectively. Intrafractional movements of the liver dome and pancreatic head were reduced significantly in the prone position. The CC directional excursions were major determinants of the 3D displacements of the abdominal organs. Alteration from the supine to the prone position did not change the amount of intrafractional movements of kidneys, spleen, and celiac axis. Conclusion: There was a significant reduction in the movements of the liver and pancreas during the prone position, especially in the CC direction, suggesting possible advantage of radiotherapy to these organs in this position

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an important modality for the diagnosis of intra-abdominal pathology. Hardware and pulse sequence developments have made it possible to derive not only morphologic but also functional information related to organ perfusion (dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI), oxygen saturation (blood oxygen level dependent), tissue cellularity (diffusion-weighted imaging), and tissue composition (spectroscopy). These techniques enable a more specific assessment of pathologic lesions and organ functionality. Magnetic resonance imaging has thus transitioned from a purely morphologic examination to a modality from which image-based disease biomarkers can be derived. This fits well with several emerging trends in radiology, such as the need to accurately assess response to costly treatment strategies and the need to improve lesion characterization to potentially avoid biopsy. Meanwhile, the cost-effectiveness, availability, and robustness of computed tomography (CT) ensure its place as the current workhorse for clinical imaging. Although the lower soft tissue contrast of CT relative to MRI is a long-standing limitation, other disadvantages such as ionizing radiation exposure have become a matter of public concern. Nevertheless, recent technical developments such as dual-energy CT or dynamic volume perfusion CT also provide more functional imaging beyond morphology.The aim of this article was to review and discuss the most important recent technical developments in abdominal MRI and state-of-the-art CT, with an eye toward the future, providing examples of their clinical utility for the evaluation of hepatic and renal pathologies.

Exact surgical planning is necessary for complex operations of pathological changes in anatomical structures of the pediatric abdomen. 3D visualization and computer-assisted operational planning based on CT data are being increasingly used for difficult operations in adults. To minimize radiation exposure and for better soft tissue contrast, sonography and MRI are the preferred diagnostic methods in pediatric patients. Because of manifold difficulties 3D visualization of these MRI data has not been realized so far, even though the field of embryonal malformations and tumors could benefit from this. A newly developed and modified raycasting-based powerful 3D volume rendering software (VG Studio Max 1.2) for the planning of pediatric abdominal surgery is presented. With the help of specifically developed algorithms, a useful surgical planning system is demonstrated. Thanks to the easy handling and high-quality visualization with enormous gain of information, the presented system is now an established part of routine surgical planning. (orig.) [de

Visceral abdominal fat to subcutaneous abdominal fat ratio (V/S ratio) is a predictor for cardiac disease, metabolic disease, and hypertension in obese adults. This study determined the histopathological value of V/S ratio in obese children using computed tomography (CT). The subjects were 37 boys and 26 girls with overweight by more than 20%, whose ages ranged from 3 to 16 years. Although the percentage of standard body weight (SBW), percentage of body fat (BF), and body mass index (BMI) were correlated with each other, there was no correlation between the V/S ratio and the three predictors. Thus, the V/S ratio is completely different from the other obesity predictors in children. The V/S ratio in children of 20% or more overweight of SBW was 0.28{+-}0.11. The V/S ratio of 0.4, used as an obesity predictor in adults, was not considered suitable in the case of children. Liver function, serum lipid levels, and serum glucose correlated with the percentage of SBW, BMI, and the percentage of BF, but not correlated with the V/S ratio. According to the V/S ratio, the patients were divided into the group of V/S ratio of less than 0.28 (group I, n=34) and the group of V/S ratio of 0.28 or more (group II, n=27). There was no significant difference in age, percentage of SBW, BMI, and percentage of BF. Triglyceride was significantly higher in group II than group I, but there was no significant difference in plasma glucose and other lipids, body composition, blood pressure or respiratory function. Of note, the V/S ratio of 0.4 or more was seen in only 9 of the 61 children (14.7%). These findings suggest that the V/S ratio for children is a predictor different from that in the case of adults. (N.K.).

An important advance in the computation of hadron and glueball masses has been the introduction of non-local operators. This talk summarizes the critical signal-to-noise ratio of glueball correlation functions in the continuum limit, and discusses the case of (q{bar q} and qqq) hadrons in the chiral limit. A new strategy for extracting the masses of excited states is outlined and tested. The lessons learned here suggest that gauge-fixed momentum-space operators might be a suitable choice of interpolating operators. 15 refs., 2 tabs.

Full Text Available History of present illness: A 69-year-old male with poorly controlled hypertension presented with 1 hour of severe low back pain that radiated to his abdomen. The patient was tachycardic and had an initial blood pressure of 70/40. He had a rigid and severely tender abdomen. The patient’s history of hypertension, abnormal vital signs, severity and location of his pain were suspicious for a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA. Therefore, a computed tomography angiogram (CTA was ordered. Significant findings: CTA demonstrated a ruptured 7.4 cm infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm with a large left retroperitoneal hematoma. Discussion: True abdominal aortic aneurysm is defined as at least a 3cm dilatation of all three layers of the arterial wall of the abdominal aorta.1 An estimated 15,000 people die per year in the US of this condition.2 Risk factors for AAA include males older than 65, tobacco use, and hypertension.1,3,4 There are also congenital, mechanical, traumatic, inflammatory, and infectious causes of AAA.3 Rupture is often the first manifestation of the disease. The classic triad of abdominal pain, pulsatile mass, and hypotension is seen in only 50% of ruptured AAAs.5 Pain (abdominal, groin, or back is the most common symptom. The most common misdiagnoses of ruptured AAAs are renal colic, diverticulitis, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage.6 Bedside ultrasonography is the fastest way to detect this condition and is nearly 100% sensitive.1 One study showed that bedside ultrasounds performed by emergency physicians had a sensitivity of .94 [95% CI = .86-1.0] and specificity of 1 [95% CI = .98-1.0] for detecting AAAs.7 CTA has excellent sensitivity (approximately 100% and yields the added benefit of facilitating surgical planning and management.1 Without surgical treatment, a ruptured AAA is almost uniformly fatal, and 50% of those who undergo surgery do not survive.1 Early resuscitation and coordination with vascular surgery should be

There exist several different numerical models for predicting bubble coalescence and breakup using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Various combinations of these models will be employed to model a bioreactor process in a stirred reactor tank. A mass transfer coefficient, Kla, has been calculated and compared to those found experimentally by Thermo-Fisher Scientific, to validate the accuracy of currently available mathematical models for population balance equations. These include various c...

This is an official guideline of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR). It addresses the clinical indications for the use of computed tomographic colonography (CTC). A targeted literature search was

Purpose: To validate abdominal ultrasonography and helical computed tomography in detecting causes for sepsis in patients after abdominal surgery and to determine improved criteria for its use. Materials and methods: Eighty-five consecutive surgical patients primarily operated for non-infectious disease were included in this prospective study. Forty-one patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. All patients were suspected of an intra-abdominal sepsis after abdominal surgery. Both ultrasonography (US) and helical abdominalcomputed tomography (CT) were performed to investigate the origin of an intra-abdominal sepsis. The images of both US and CT were interpreted on a four-point scale by different radiologists or residents in radiology, the investigators were blinded of each other's test. Interpretations of US and CT were compared with a reference standard which was defined by the result of diagnostic aspiration of suspected fluid collections (re)laparotomy, clinical course or the opinion of an independent panel. Likelihood ratios and post-test probabilities were calculated and interobserver agreement was determined using κ statistics. Results: The overall prevalence of an abdominal infection was 0.49. The likelihood ratio (LR) of a positive test-result for US was 1.33 (95% CI: 0.8-2.5) and for CT scan 2.53 (95% CI: 1.4-5.0); corresponding post-test probabilities for US 0.57 (95% CI: 0.42-0.70) and for CT 0.71 (95% CI: 0.57-0.83). The LR of a negative test-result was, respectively, 0.60 (95% CI: 0.3-1.3) and 0.18 (95% CI: 0.06-0.5); corresponding post-test probabilities for US 0.37 (95% CI: 0.20-0.57) and for CT 0.15 (95% CI: 0.06-0.32) were calculated. Conclusion: Computed tomography can be used as the imaging modality of choice in patients suspected of intra-abdominal sepsis after abdominal surgery. Because of the low discriminatory power ultrasonography should not be performed as initial diagnostic test

Purpose: To validate abdominal ultrasonography and helical computed tomography in detecting causes for sepsis in patients after abdominal surgery and to determine improved criteria for its use. Materials and methods: Eighty-five consecutive surgical patients primarily operated for non-infectious disease were included in this prospective study. Forty-one patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. All patients were suspected of an intra-abdominal sepsis after abdominal surgery. Both ultrasonography (US) and helical abdominalcomputed tomography (CT) were performed to investigate the origin of an intra-abdominal sepsis. The images of both US and CT were interpreted on a four-point scale by different radiologists or residents in radiology, the investigators were blinded of each other's test. Interpretations of US and CT were compared with a reference standard which was defined by the result of diagnostic aspiration of suspected fluid collections (re)laparotomy, clinical course or the opinion of an independent panel. Likelihood ratios and post-test probabilities were calculated and interobserver agreement was determined using {kappa} statistics. Results: The overall prevalence of an abdominal infection was 0.49. The likelihood ratio (LR) of a positive test-result for US was 1.33 (95% CI: 0.8-2.5) and for CT scan 2.53 (95% CI: 1.4-5.0); corresponding post-test probabilities for US 0.57 (95% CI: 0.42-0.70) and for CT 0.71 (95% CI: 0.57-0.83). The LR of a negative test-result was, respectively, 0.60 (95% CI: 0.3-1.3) and 0.18 (95% CI: 0.06-0.5); corresponding post-test probabilities for US 0.37 (95% CI: 0.20-0.57) and for CT 0.15 (95% CI: 0.06-0.32) were calculated. Conclusion: Computed tomography can be used as the imaging modality of choice in patients suspected of intra-abdominal sepsis after abdominal surgery. Because of the low discriminatory power ultrasonography should not be performed as initial diagnostic test.

Purpose: Quantitative measurements of wall thickness in human abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) may lead to more accurate methods for the evaluation of their biomechanical environment. Methods: The authors describe an algorithm for estimating wall thickness in AAAs based on intensity histograms and neural networks involving segmentation of contrast enhanced abdominalcomputed tomography images. The algorithm was applied to ten ruptured and ten unruptured AAA image data sets. Two vascular surgeons manually segmented the lumen, inner wall, and outer wall of each data set and a reference standard was defined as the average of their segmentations. Reproducibility was determined by comparing the reference standard to lumen contours generated automatically by the algorithm and a commercially available software package. Repeatability was assessed by comparing the lumen, outer wall, and inner wall contours, as well as wall thickness, made by the two surgeons using the algorithm. Results: There was high correspondence between automatic and manual measurements for the lumen area (r=0.978 and r=0.996 for ruptured and unruptured aneurysms, respectively) and between vascular surgeons (r=0.987 and r=0.992 for ruptured and unruptured aneurysms, respectively). The authors' automatic algorithm showed better results when compared to the reference with an average lumen error of 3.69%, which is less than half the error between the commercially available application Simpleware and the reference (7.53%). Wall thickness measurements also showed good agreement between vascular surgeons with average coefficients of variation of 10.59% (ruptured aneurysms) and 13.02% (unruptured aneurysms). Ruptured aneurysms exhibit significantly thicker walls (1.78±0.39 mm) than unruptured ones (1.48±0.22 mm), p=0.044. Conclusions: While further refinement is needed to fully automate the outer wall segmentation algorithm, these preliminary results demonstrate the method's adequate reproducibility and

Breathing parameters can be measured by motion capture systems by placing photo-reflective markers on the chest wall. A computational model is mandatory to compute the breathing volume and to calculate temporal and kinematical features by the gathered markers trajectories. Despite different methods based on different geometrical approaches can be adopted to compute volumes, no information about their differences in the respiratory evaluation are available. This study investigated the performances of four methods (conventional, prism-based, convex hull with boundary condition, based on Delaunay triangulation) using an optoelectronic motion capture system, on twelve healthy participants during 30 s of breathing. Temporal trends of volume traces, tidal volume values, and breathing durations were compared between methods and spirometry (used as reference instrument). Additionally, thoraco-abdominal motion patterns were compared between methods by analysing the compartmental contributions and their variability. Results shows comparable similarities between the volume traces obtained using spirometry, prism-based and conventional methods. Prism-based and convex hull with boundary condition methods show lower bias in tidal volumes estimation up to 0.06 L, compared to the conventional and Delaunay triangulation methods. Prism-based method shows maximum differences of 30 mL in the comparison of compartmental contributions to the total volume, by resulting in a maximum deviation of 1.6% in the percentage contribution analysis. In conclusion, our finding demonstrated the accuracy of the non-invasive MoCap-based breathing analysis with the prism-based method tested. Data provided in this study will lead researchers and clinicians in the computational method choice for temporal and volumetric breathing analysis.

Stromal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract encompass a group of neoplasms representing 1% to 3% of all digestive system tumors. When located in the stomach, their tendency to exhibit and exophytic growth pattern makes it necessary to establish the differential diagnosis with respect to other gastric tumors (lymphoma, exophytic adenocarcinoma) and nongastrointestinal masses. We present a case that illustrated the difficulties associated with the imaging diagnosis of these lesions and the importance of modern radiological techniques (helical computed tomography and magnetic resonance) and the correct interpretation on the part of radiologists to orient pathologists and clinicians toward the diagnosis and proper treatment. (Author) 10 refs

Background: Abdominal TB usually presents with nonspecific findings and may thus mimic a multitude of gastrointestinal disorders. Abdominal tuberculosis may therefore present as large and palpable intra-abdominalmasses usually arising from lymphadenopathy which may mimic lymphomas and other malignancies.

Full Text Available Today, we live in what we call the “Information Age”, an age in which information technologies are constantly being renewed and developed. Out of this has emerged a new approach called “Computational Design” or “Digital Design”. In addition to significantly influencing all fields of engineering, this approach has come to play a similar role in all stages of the design process in the architectural field. In providing solutions for analytical problems in design such as cost estimate, circulation systems evaluation and environmental effects, which are similar to engineering problems, this approach is being used in the evaluation, representation and presentation of traditionally designed buildings. With developments in software and hardware technology, it has evolved as the studies based on design of architectural products and production implementations with digital tools used for preliminary design stages. This paper presents a digital model which may be used in the preliminary stage of mass housing design with Cellular Automata, one of generative design systems based on computational design approaches. This computational model, developed by scripts of 3Ds Max software, has been implemented on a site plan design of mass housing, floor plan organizations made by user preferences and facade designs. By using the developed computer model, many alternative housing types could be rapidly produced. The interactive design tool of this computational model allows the user to transfer dimensional and functional housing preferences by means of the interface prepared for model. The results of the study are discussed in the light of innovative architectural approaches.

The computer tomographic and angiographic findings in 53 patients with intrahepatic masses were compared. The histological findings show that 17 were due to echinococcus, 12 were due to hepatic carcinoma, ten were metastases, five patients had focal nodular hyperplasia, three an alveolar echinococcus and there were three cases with an haemangioma of the liver and a further three liver abscesses. Computer tomography proved superior in peripherally situated lesions, and in those in the left lobe of the liver. Arteriography was better at demonstrating lesions below 2 cm in size, particularly vascular tumours. As a pre-operative measure, angiography is to be preferred since it is able to demonstrate anatomic anomalies and variations in the blood supply, as well as invasion of the portal vein or of the inferior vena cava.

The objective of this article is to evaluate the role of computed tomography (CT) in a pregnant patient with right lower quadrant pain in whom there was a clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis. During a 5-year period the clinical records of all pregnant women who underwent imaging examination for clinically suspected appendicitis were reviewed. The imaging findings were correlated with patient management and final outcome. Thirty-nine pregnant patients were referred for imaging, of which 35 underwent initial evaluation with sonography, 23 of these women underwent a computed tomographic examination, and an additional 4 patients were directly imaged with CT without earlier sonographic assessment. Surgery confirmed appendicitis in all 5 patients who were operated on on the basis of findings of appendicitis on a CT scan. Two patients underwent surgery based on an alternate diagnosis suggested preoperatively (tubal torsion = 1, ovarian torsion = 1). All patients with negative findings at CT had an uneventful clinical course. In those patients who were evaluated only with ultrasound, a diagnosis of appendicitis was missed in 5 patients. The sensitivity of CT in the diagnosis of appendicitis in our study group was 100%, compared with a sensitivity of 46.1% for ultrasound. CT provides an accurate diagnosis in patients suspected to have acute appendicitis and is of value in avoiding false negative exploratory laparatomy with its consequent risk of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. Although sonography is the preferred initial imaging modality as its lack of ionizing radiation, CT is more accurate in providing a timely diagnosis and its use is justified to reduce maternal mortality and mortality in patients with appendicitis.

We sought to evaluate the image quality of iterative reconstruction in image space (IRIS) in half-dose (HD) datasets compared with full-dose (FD) and HD filtered back projection (FBP) reconstruction in abdominalcomputed tomography (CT). To acquire data with FD and HD simultaneously, contrast-enhanced abdominal CT was performed with a dual-source CT system, both tubes operating at 120 kV, 100 ref.mAs, and pitch 0.8. Three different image datasets were reconstructed from the raw data: Standard FD images applying FBP which served as reference, HD images applying FBP and HD images applying IRIS. For the HD data sets, only data from 1 tube detector-system was used. Quantitative image quality analysis was performed by measuring image noise in tissue and air. Qualitative image quality was evaluated according to the European Guidelines on Quality criteria for CT. Additional assessment of artifacts, lesion conspicuity, and edge sharpness was performed. : Image noise in soft tissue was substantially decreased in HD-IRIS (-3.4 HU, -22%) and increased in HD-FBP (+6.2 HU, +39%) images when compared with the reference (mean noise, 15.9 HU). No significant differences between the FD-FBP and HD-IRIS images were found for the visually sharp anatomic reproduction, overall diagnostic acceptability (P = 0.923), lesion conspicuity (P = 0.592), and edge sharpness (P = 0.589), while HD-FBP was rated inferior. Streak artifacts and beam hardening was significantly more prominent in HD-FBP while HD-IRIS images exhibited a slightly different noise pattern. Direct intrapatient comparison of standard FD body protocols and HD-IRIS reconstruction suggest that the latest iterative reconstruction algorithms allow for approximately 50% dose reduction without deterioration of the high image quality necessary for confident diagnosis.

Hemodynamic in abdominal aorta bifurcation was investigated in a real case using computational fluid dynamics. A Newtonian and non-Newtonian (Walburn-Schneck) viscosity models were compared. The geometrical model was obtained by 3D reconstruction from CT-scan and hemodynamic parameters obtained by laser-Doppler. Blood was assumed incompressible fluid, laminar flow in transient regime and rigid vessel wall. Finite volume-based was used to study the velocity, pressure, wall shear stress (WSS) and viscosity throughout cardiac cycle. Results obtained with Walburn-Schneck's model, during systole, present lower viscosity due to shear thinning behavior. Furthermore, there is a significant difference between the results obtained by the two models for a specific patient. During the systole, differences are more pronounced and are preferably located in the tortuous regions of the artery. Throughout the cardiac cycle, the WSS amplitude between the systole and diastole is greater for the Walburn-Schneck's model than for the Newtonian model. However, the average viscosity along the artery is always greater for the non-Newtonian model, except in the systolic peak. The hemodynamic model is crucial to validate results obtained with CFD and to explore clinical potential.

Objective: To compare duplex ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) angiography in terms of their performance in detecting endoleaks, as well as in determining the diameter of the aneurysm sac, in the postoperative follow-up of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study involving 30 patients who had undergone endovascular repair of infrarenal aortoiliac aneurysms. Duplex ultrasound and CT angiography were performed simultaneously by independent radiologists. Measurements of the aneurysm sac diameter were assessed, and the presence or absence of endoleaks was determined. Results: The average diameter of the aneurysm sac, as determined by duplex ultrasound and CT angiography was 6.09 ± 1.95 and 6.27 ± 2.16 cm, respectively. Pearson's correlation coefficient showing a statistically significant correlation (R = 0.88; p < 0.01). Comparing the duplex ultrasound and CT angiography results regarding the detection of endoleaks, we found that the former had a negative predictive value of 92.59% and a specificity of 96.15%. Conclusion: Our results show that there is little variation between the two methods evaluated, and that the choice between the two would have no significant effect on clinical management. Duplex ultrasound could replace CT angiography in the postoperative follow-up of endovascular aneurysm repair of the infrarenal aorta, because it is a low-cost procedure without the potential clinical complications related to the use of iodinated contrast and exposure to radiation. (author)

textabstractAlthough blunt abdominal trauma is frequent, traumatic abdominal wall hernias (TAWH) are rare. We describe a large TAWH with associated intra-abdominal lesions that were caused by high-energy trauma. The diagnosis was missed by clinical examination but was subsequently revealed by a computed tomography (CT) scan. Repair consisted of an open anatomical reconstruction of the abdominal wall layers with reinforcement by an intraperitoneal composite mesh. The patient recovered well and...

The primary aim of this study was to determine predictors of clinically significant computed tomography (CT) scans, paying particular attention to findings of previous CT scans. Use of CT to assess patients with Crohn's disease (CD) in the Emergency Department (ED) is both costly and exposes patients to high levels of ionizing radiation while not clearly improving outcomes. Patients with CD who underwent CT scan in the Emergency Department from 2008 to 2011 at a tertiary referral center were assessed for clinically significant findings. A multivariable generalized estimating equation model with logit link and exchangeable working correlation structure was constructed to assess for independent predictors of CT scans with clinically significant findings. A total of 118 patients with CD underwent 194 CT scans. Ninety-two of 194 (47%) CT scans demonstrated clinically significant findings. Predictors of clinically significant CT scans included ileal disease involvement [odds ratios (OR) 3.47, P=0.01] and white blood cell count >12 (OR 2.1, P=0.03). Most notably, patients with a CT scan without clinically significant findings performed in the preceding month were significantly less likely to have a clinically significant CT scan (OR 0.23, P=0.005). Patients with CD who had a CT scan without significant findings the month prior are unlikely to have clinically significant CT findings. Ileal disease and an elevated white blood cell are predictive of clinically significant CT scans.

To evaluate the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) in differential diagnosis and decisions for operative indications in patients with acute appendicitis, CT was done in 45 patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis. CT was retrospectively analyzed for the following findings: enlarged appendix, hazy periappendiceal density, increased enhancement of the appendiceal wall, deficiency of the appendiceal wall, appendiceal stones, abscess, and ascites. Surgery was conducted 28 patients, of whom 25 were pathologically diagnosed with gangrenous or phlegmonous appendicitis. Seventeen improved without surgery, i.e., 9 with acute appendicitis, 7 with diverticulitis of the colon, and 1 with pelvic peritonitis. Except for 3 with severe abscess, enlarged appendix, hazy periappendiceal density, and increased enhancement of the appendiceal wall were observed in 22 with phlegmonous or gangrenous appendicitis. In 25 with phlegmonous or gangrenous appendicitis, appendiceal stones were observed in 32% and abscess or ascites in 60%. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in CT diagnosis images were 100%, 80%, and 96%. CT findings thus provide useful information in differential diagnosis and decisions on operative indication in patients with acute appendicitis. (author)

Full Text Available An aortic aneurysm (AA is a focal dilatation of the aortic wall. Occurrence of AA rupture is an all too common event that is associated with high levels of patient morbidity and mortality. The decision to surgically intervene prior to AA rupture is made with recognition of significant procedural risks, and is primarily based on the maximal diameter and/or growth rate of the AA. Despite established thresholds for intervention, rupture occurs in a notable subset of patients exhibiting sub-critical maximal diameters and/or growth rates. Therefore, a pressing need remains to identify better predictors of rupture risk and ultimately integrate their measurement into clinical decision making. In this study, we use a series of finite element-based computational models that represent a range of plausible AA scenarios, and evaluate the relative sensitivity of wall stress to geometrical and mechanical properties of the aneurysmal tissue. Taken together, our findings encourage an expansion of geometrical parameters considered for rupture risk assessment, and provide perspective on the degree to which tissue mechanical properties may modulate peak stress values within aneurysmal tissue.

Objective: to evaluate the diagnostic capacity of abdominalcomputed tomography in the assessment of hepatic steatosis using the portal phase with a simplified calculation method as compared with the non-contrast-enhanced phase. Materials and methods: in the present study, 150 patients were retrospectively evaluated by means of non-contrast-enhanced and contrast-enhanced computed tomography. One hundred patients had hepatic steatosis and 50 were control subjects. For the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in the portal phase, the authors considered a result of < 104 HU calculated by the formula [L - 0.3 Multiplication-Sign (0.75 Multiplication-Sign P + 0.25 Multiplication-Sign A)] / 0.7, where L, P and A represent the attenuation of the liver, of the main portal vein and abdominal aorta, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated, using non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography as the reference standard. Results: the simplified calculation method with portal phase for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis showed 100% sensitivity, 36% specificity, negative predictive value of 100% and positive predictive value of 75.8%. The rate of false positive results was 64%. False negative results were not observed. Conclusion: The portal phase presents an excellent sensitivity in the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis, as compared with the non-contrast-enhanced phase of abdominalcomputed tomography. However, the method has low specificity. (author)

Visceral abdominal fat to subcutaneous abdominal fat ratio (V/S ratio) is a predictor for cardiac disease, metabolic disease, and hypertension in obese adults. This study determined the histopathological value of V/S ratio in obese children using computed tomography (CT). The subjects were 37 boys and 26 girls with overweight by more than 20%, whose ages ranged from 3 to 16 years. Although the percentage of standard body weight (SBW), percentage of body fat (BF), and body mass index (BMI) were correlated with each other, there was no correlation between the V/S ratio and the three predictors. Thus, the V/S ratio is completely different from the other obesity predictors in children. The V/S ratio in children of 20% or more overweight of SBW was 0.28±0.11. The V/S ratio of 0.4, used as an obesity predictor in adults, was not considered suitable in the case of children. Liver function, serum lipid levels, and serum glucose correlated with the percentage of SBW, BMI, and the percentage of BF, but not correlated with the V/S ratio. According to the V/S ratio, the patients were divided into the group of V/S ratio of less than 0.28 (group I, n=34) and the group of V/S ratio of 0.28 or more (group II, n=27). There was no significant difference in age, percentage of SBW, BMI, and percentage of BF. Triglyceride was significantly higher in group II than group I, but there was no significant difference in plasma glucose and other lipids, body composition, blood pressure or respiratory function. Of note, the V/S ratio of 0.4 or more was seen in only 9 of the 61 children (14.7%). These findings suggest that the V/S ratio for children is a predictor different from that in the case of adults. (N.K.)

To examine the association between adiposity and the magnitude of cardiovascular reactions to acute psychological stress cross-sectionally and prospectively in a large community sample. Blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were measured at rest and in response to a brief time-pressured mental arithmetic stress in 1647 adults. At the same session and 5 years later, height, weight, waist and hip circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio were computed. Obesity was defined as a body mass index of > or = 30 kg/m(2). Contrary to expectations, the most robust and consistent results to emerge from cross-sectional analyses were negative associations between all three measures of adiposity and HR reactivity; those with greater BMI and waist-hip ratios and those categorized as obese displayed smaller HR reactions to stress. In prospective analyses, high HR reactivity was associated with a reduced likelihood of becoming obese in the subsequent 5 years. Our analyses suggest that it is low, not high, HR reactivity that is related to adiposity. Low HR reactivity, probably by reflecting generally blunted sympathetic nervous system reactions to challenge, may be a risk marker for developing obesity.

The aim of this study is to record the observations and experience on the diagnosis and management of abdominal tuberculosis (TB) and to highlight the difficulties in the diagnosis and management of this condition. Two hundred consecutive patients attending the Gastroenterology Department of the King Khalid National Guard Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between May 1991 and May 2001, suspected with abdominal TB were investigated. A detailed clinical history and physical examination were obtained. Data of 75 confirmed cases of abdominal TB were analyzed. The most common presenting symptoms were anorexia (84%), abdominal pain (84%) and weight loss (72%). Abdominal tenderness was the most common clinical finding, followed by ascites and abdominalmass (42%). The chest radiograph suggestive of pulmonary TB was diagnosed in 24 patients (32%). Computed tomographic (CT) scanning revealed abnormalities in all 51 patients who underwent the procedure, while positive findings were observed by abdominal ultrasound in 66% of the tested patients. Histopathological examination of patients showed tuberculosis granuloma, while acid fast bacilli were seen in 34%. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was identified by microbiological methods in 60% of patients. The most common presenting symptoms were anorexia (84%), abdominal pain (84%) and weight loss (72%). Abdominal tenderness was the most common clinical finding, followed by ascites and abdominalmass (42%). The chest radiograph suggestive of pulmonary TB was diagnosed in 24 patients (32%). Computed tomographic (CT) scanning revealed abnormalities in all 51 patients who underwent the procedure, while positive findings were observed by abdominal ultrasound in 66% of the tested patients. Histopathological examination of patients showed tuberculous granuloma, while acid fast bacilli were seen in 34%. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was identified by microbiological methods in 60% of patients. A high index of clinical suspicion is

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of computerized image enhancement, to investigate criteria for discriminating benign from malignant mammographic findings by computer-aided diagnosis (CAD), and to test the role of quantitative analysis in improving the accuracy of interpretation of mass lesions. Forty sequential mammographically detected mass lesions referred for biopsy were digitized at high resolution for computerized evaluation. A prototype CAD system which included image enhancement algorithms was used for a better visualization of the lesions. Quantitative features which characterize the spiculation were automatically extracted by the CAD system for a user-defined region of interest (ROI). Reference ranges for malignant and benign cases were acquired from data generated by 214 known retrospective cases. The extracted parameters together with the reference ranges were presented to the radiologist for the analysis of 40 prospective cases. A pattern recognition scheme based on discriminant analysis was trained on the 214 retrospective cases, and applied to the prospective cases. Accuracy of interpretation with and without the CAD system, as well as the performance of the pattern recognition scheme, were analyzed using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves. A significant difference (p z ) increased significantly (p z for the results of the pattern recognition scheme was higher (0.95). The results indicate that there is an improved accuracy of diagnosis with the use of the mammographic CAD system above that of the unassisted radiologist. Our findings suggest that objective quantitative features extracted from digitized mammographic findings may help in differentiating between benign and malignant masses, and can assist the radiologist in the interpretation of mass lesions. (orig.)

Full Text Available Abstract Cardiac angiosarcomas are extremely rare in childhood, they are rapidly progressive tumours that often present themselves as diagnostic dilemmas, resulting in delayed diagnosis. Also, extracardiac manifestations, including abdominal pain, are extremely rare in patients with intracardiac tumors. We herein present the case of a 15-year-old girl who presented with abdominal pain. Echocardiography and thoracic computed tomography showed right atrial mass. The patient underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Eight months after treatment, abdominal recurrence was detected. The abdominalmass was resected, and radiotherapy and new chemotherapy protocol were given. The present case illustrates a rare case of primary cardiac angiosarcoma posing a diagnostic dilemma in an adolescent girl.

Purpose: To review the tomography findings of the acute appendicitis, their complications and alternative diagnosis. To value the use of helicoidal computed tomography (HCT) in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis and in the study of patients with right inferior abdominal quadrant (RIQ) pain and acute abdomen, for diagnosis and eventual complications, in order to decide treatment. Materials and method: For five months, the populations included in this retrospectively study were all patients delivered for presenting with RIQ pain for a HCT exam. These exams were made with oral and intravenous contrasts, when there were not contraindications. The HCT results were correlated with clinical follow up, surgery and histopathologic exams. Results: Over a total of 100 patients studied, 53 presented tomographic diagnosis of appendicitis, 22 of which presented perforation signs; 27 showed an alternative diagnosis (ovaries follicles, ureteral litiasis, tiphlitis, diverticulitis, colitis, salpingitis), 18 patients did not present tomographic findings to support the clinical symptoms and 2 presented indeterminated results. These data represented a sensibility of 100%, specificity of 95,7%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 96,2% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 100% for the tomography diagnosis of acute appendicitis and a sensibility of 100%, specificity of 81,8%, PPV of 95,1% and NPV of 100% for the tomography diagnosis of the different etiology in patient with right inferior acute abdomen. Conclusion: HCT is extremely useful in the study of patients with acute abdomen with origin in the RIQ, not only to make a diagnosis, but also to evaluate the complications, so as to decide proper treatment. (authors) [es

Full text of publication follows: Results are presented from an extensive series of computer simulations of the damage created by displacement cascades in alpha-iron. The objective has been to determine for the first time the effect of the mass of the primary knock-on atom (PKA) on defect number, defect clustering and cluster morphology. Cascades with PKA energy in the range 5 to 20 keV have been simulated by molecular dynamics for temperature up to 600 K using an interatomic potential for iron for which the energy difference between the dumbbell interstitial and the crowdion is close to the value from ab initio calculation (Ackland et al., J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 2004). At least 30 cascades have been simulated for each condition in order to generate reasonable statistics. The influence of PKA species on damage has been investigated in two ways. In one, the PKA atom was treated as an Fe atom as far as its interaction with other atoms was concerned, but its atomic weight (in amu) was either 12 (C), 56 (Fe) or 209 (Bi). Pairs of Bi PKAs have also been used to mimic heavy molecular ion irradiation. In the other approach, the short-range pair part of the interatomic potential was changed from Fe-Fe to that for Bi-Fe, either with or without a change of PKA mass, in order to study the influence of high-energy collisions on the cascade outcome. It is found that PKA mass is more influential than the interatomic potential between the PKA and Fe atoms. At low cascade energy (5-10 keV), increasing PKA mass leads to a decrease in number of interstitials and vacancies. At high energy (20 keV), the main effect of increasing mass is to increase the probability of creation of interstitial and vacancy clusters in the form of 1/2 and dislocation loops. The simulation results are consistent with experimental TEM observations of damage in irradiated iron. (authors)

The aim of this paper a description of a method to simulate the dynamic effect of a fluid between two structures by means of an added mass and an added stiffness. The method is based on a potential theory which assumes the fluid is inviscid and incompressible (the case of compressibility is discussed); a solution of the corresponding field equation is given as a superposition of elementary conditions (i.e. applicable to elementary boundary conditions). Consequently the pressure and displacements of the fluid on the boundary are given as a function of the series coefficients; the ''work lost'' (i.e. the work done by the pressures on the difference between actual and estimated displacements) is minimized, in this way the expansion coefficients are related to the displacements on the boundaries. Virtual work procedures are then used to compute added masses. The particular case of a free surface (with gravity effects) is discussed, it is shown how the effect can be modelled by means of an added stiffness term. Some examples relative to vibrations in reservoirs are given and discussed. (orig.)

We report the case of a 50-year-old woman presented with a history of right hemicolectomy due to an ileocecal neuroendocrine tumor and left breast metastasis. Owing to a slightly elevated chromogranin A-level and lower abdominal pain, single photon emission computed tomography-computer tomography (SPECT-CT) was performed. There were no signs of recurrence on the SPECT-CT scan, but the patient was incidentally found to have an inflamed intramural myoma. We believe that the slightly elevated ch...

Many institutions now use empiric full-body computed tomography (CT) as a standard step in the initial workup of stable trauma patients. Recent data suggest that these scans may reveal unexpected injuries and improve survival in patients with polytrauma. However, patients who are unstable on presentation are often taken to the operating room (OR) without CT. Many of these patients undergo empiric full-body CTs after being stabilized in the OR, yet few data exist regarding how often early postoperative CT reveals unexpected injuries within compartments that have been explored surgically. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine if empiric abdominal/pelvic (ABD) CT after emergent trauma laparotomies are likely to reveal missed injuries requiring urgent management and improve patient management compared with clinical judgment alone. We review retrospectively 496 trauma patients who required urgent exploratory laparotomy at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital from 2007 to 2011. Patients were included if they went to the OR for exploratory laparotomy directly from the emergency department within 2 hours of arrival. Patients were excluded if they received any preoperative ABD CT imaging. Patients who expired in the OR were similarly excluded. Patients were stratified into 2 groups based on whether or not they received an empiric ABD CT in the 24 hours immediately after laparotomy. Medical records were reviewed to look for differences in missed injuries, urgent reexplorations, nontherapeutic interventions, and time to urgent reexploration. There were 278 patients who met inclusion at exclusion criteria and constituted the study cohort. Of these patients, 124 underwent early empiric postoperative ABD CT imaging (45%). The remaining 154 patients did not undergo early ABD imaging (no CT group). The overall cohort had a 45% incidence of damage control procedures and a 9% rate of negative laparotomy. The 2 groups were statistically similar in age, presenting vitals, and

Radiological findings of abdominal tuberculosis can mimic those of many different diseases. A high level of suspicion is required, especially in high-risk population. In this article, we will describe barium studies, ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) findings of abdominal tuberculosis (TB), with emphasis in the latest. We will illustrate CT findings that can help in the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis and describe imaging features that differentiate it from other inflammatory and neoplastic diseases, particularly lymphoma and Crohn's disease. As tuberculosis can affect any organ in the abdomen, emphasis is placed to ileocecal involvement, lymphadenopathy, peritonitis and solid organ disease (liver, spleen and pancreas). A positive culture or hystologic analysis of biopsy is still required in many patients for definitive diagnosis. Learning objectives:1.To review the relevant pathophysiology of abdominal tuberculosis. 2.Illustrate CT findings that can help in the diagnosis

Radiological findings of abdominal tuberculosis can mimic those of many different diseases. A high level of suspicion is required, especially in high-risk population. In this article, we will describe barium studies, ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) findings of abdominal tuberculosis (TB), with emphasis in the latest. We will illustrate CT findings that can help in the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis and describe imaging features that differentiate it from other inflammatory and neoplastic diseases, particularly lymphoma and Crohn's disease. As tuberculosis can affect any organ in the abdomen, emphasis is placed to ileocecal involvement, lymphadenopathy, peritonitis and solid organ disease (liver, spleen and pancreas). A positive culture or hystologic analysis of biopsy is still required in many patients for definitive diagnosis. Learning objectives:1.To review the relevant pathophysiology of abdominal tuberculosis. 2.Illustrate CT findings that can help in the diagnosis.

We discuss the computation of the mass of the K and D mesons within the framework of N{sub f}=2+1+1 twisted mass lattice QCD from a technical point of view. These quantities are essential, already at the level of generating gauge configurations, being obvious candidates to tune the strange and charm quark masses to their physical values. In particular, we address the problems related to the twisted mass flavor and parity symmetry breaking, which arise when considering a non-degenerate (c,s) doublet. We propose and verify the consistency of three methods to extract the K and D meson masses in this framework. (orig.)

To evaluate feasibility of radiation dose reduction by optimal phase selection of computed tomography (CT) in patients who visited the emergency department (ED) for abdominal pain. We included 253 patients who visited the ED for abdominal pain. They underwent multiphasic CT including precontrast, late arterial phase (LAP), and hepatic venous phase (HVP). Three image sets (HVP, precontrast + HVP, and precontrast + LAP + HVP) were reviewed. Two reviewers determined the most appropriate diagnosis with five-point confidence scale. Diagnostic performances were compared among image sets by weighted-least-squares method or DeLong's method. Linear mixed model was used to assess changes of diagnostic confidence and radiation dose. There was no difference in diagnostic performance among three image sets, although diagnostic confidence level was significantly improved after review of triphasic images compared with both HVP images only or HVP with precontrast images (confidence scale, 4.64 ± 0.05, 4.66 ± 0.05, and 4.76 ± 0.04 in the order of the sets; overall P = 0.0008). Similar trends were observed in the subgroup analysis for diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease and cholecystitis. There is no difference between HVP-CT alone and multiphasic CT for the diagnosis of causes of abdominal pain in patients admitted to the ED without prior chronic disease or neoplasia. (orig.)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The association between adiposity measures and dyslipidemia has seldom been assessed in a multipopulational setting. METHODS AND RESULTS: 27 populations from Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada (WHO MONICA project) using health surveys conducted between 1990 and 1997...... and with waist circumference (WC) in women, after adjusting for region, age and smoking. Among normal-weight men and women (BMI84.8 cm) in normal-weight men, menopause in women and regular smoking further defined subgroups at increased risk. CONCLUSION: standard categories of BMI and WC, or their combinations......, do not lead to optimal risk stratification for dyslipidemia in middle-age adults. Sex-specific adaptations are necessary, in particular by taking into account abdominal obesity in normal-weight men, post-menopausal age in women and regular smoking in both sexes....

A 63-year-old man was admitted for an abdominalmass. Computed tomography revealed an abscess (21 × 20 cm) in the abdominal wall and a tumor in the sigmoid colon. Thus, cancer of the sigmoid colon complicated by an abscess of the abdominal wall was diagnosed. The abscess was drained and transverse colostomy was performed with curative intent. After the intervention, chemotherapy (XELOX×3) was administered. Three months later, sigmoidectomy was performed and the stoma was closed. Macroscopic and microscopic examination of the resected specimen detected no remnants of cancer. In patients with advanced colon cancer and abdominal wall involvement, a two-stage operation and preoperative chemotherapy may be considered essential when curative resection is performed.

To evaluate a low-dose abdominalcomputed tomography (LDCT) protocol, delivering a radiation dose close to that delivered by an abdominal plain film (APF), in patients with a clinical suspicion of renal colic. A total of 139 patients for whom an APF was requested for suspicion of renal colic were randomized into two groups. The patients in group 1 (n = 68) underwent an admission LDCT scan delivering a 2.1-mSv radiation dose to women and 1.6 mSv to men, instead of the APF. Patients in group 2 (n = 71) underwent an APF. Clinical and radiologic follow-up data were obtained for each patient. The number of additional abdominal ultrasound and CT scans performed to reach a confident final diagnosis and determine the proper treatment was compared between the two groups. A mean effective radiation dose was obtained in each group. Of the 68 patients in group 1 (LDCT), 10 (15%) underwent ultrasonography, 9 (13%) conventional abdominal CT, and 2 (3%) both. In group 2 (APF), the corresponding percentages were 27% (19 of 71), 28% (20 of 71), and 23% (16 of 71). Of the 68 patients in group 1, 47 (69%) did not require any additional examinations compared with 16 (23%) of the 71 patients in group 2 (P < 0.0001). The mean effective dose was 3.5 and 6.9 mSv in groups 1 and 2, respectively (P < 0.0001). In patients with suspicion of renal colic, replacing the admission APF with our LDCT protocol will significantly reduce the need for additional CT or ultrasonography. Also, our LDCT protocol decreases by almost 50% the mean radiation dose per patient.

Head-to-head comparison of ultrasound and CT accuracy in common diagnoses causing acute abdominal pain. Consecutive patients with abdominal pain for >2 h and <5 days referred for imaging underwent both US and CT by different radiologists/radiological residents. An expert panel assigned a final diagnosis. Ultrasound and CT sensitivity and predictive values were calculated for frequent final diagnoses. Effect of patient characteristics and observer experience on ultrasound sensitivity was studied. Frequent final diagnoses in the 1,021 patients (mean age 47; 55% female) were appendicitis (284; 28%), diverticulitis (118; 12%) and cholecystitis (52; 5%). The sensitivity of CT in detecting appendicitis and diverticulitis was significantly higher than that of ultrasound: 94% versus 76% (p < 0.01) and 81% versus 61% (p = 0.048), respectively. For cholecystitis, the sensitivity of both was 73% (p = 1.00). Positive predictive values did not differ significantly between ultrasound and CT for these conditions. Ultrasound sensitivity in detecting appendicitis and diverticulitis was not significantly negatively affected by patient characteristics or reader experience. CT misses fewer cases than ultrasound, but both ultrasound and CT can reliably detect common diagnoses causing acute abdominal pain. Ultrasound sensitivity was largely not influenced by patient characteristics and reader experience. (orig.)

Head-to-head comparison of ultrasound and CT accuracy in common diagnoses causing acute abdominal pain. Consecutive patients with abdominal pain for >2 h and <5 days referred for imaging underwent both US and CT by different radiologists/radiological residents. An expert panel assigned a final diagnosis. Ultrasound and CT sensitivity and predictive values were calculated for frequent final diagnoses. Effect of patient characteristics and observer experience on ultrasound sensitivity was studied. Frequent final diagnoses in the 1,021 patients (mean age 47; 55% female) were appendicitis (284; 28%), diverticulitis (118; 12%) and cholecystitis (52; 5%). The sensitivity of CT in detecting appendicitis and diverticulitis was significantly higher than that of ultrasound: 94% versus 76% (p < 0.01) and 81% versus 61% (p = 0.048), respectively. For cholecystitis, the sensitivity of both was 73% (p = 1.00). Positive predictive values did not differ significantly between ultrasound and CT for these conditions. Ultrasound sensitivity in detecting appendicitis and diverticulitis was not significantly negatively affected by patient characteristics or reader experience. CT misses fewer cases than ultrasound, but both ultrasound and CT can reliably detect common diagnoses causing acute abdominal pain. Ultrasound sensitivity was largely not influenced by patient characteristics and reader experience. (orig.)

The aim of this study was to estimate the cost effectiveness of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).......The aim of this study was to estimate the cost effectiveness of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)....

Congenital splenic cysts are a rare cause of abdominal cystic masses in the fetus. We describe nine cases of this condition, the largest reported experience to date. A review of the literature for similar cases was also performed. Cases of congenital splenic cyst were collected from three prenatal diagnostic centers and from a dedicated website of prenatal diagnosis. Information regarding clinical and sonographic findings was obtained by reviewing ultrasound reports and medical records. An electronic search of the Pubmed/MEDLINE database for similar cases, with subsequent manual cross-referencing, was performed and the relevant information from the articles was retrieved. A total of nine cases were added to the currently existing literature of 32 cases. In all but one of our cases, the prenatal detection of the splenic cyst was made in the third trimester, with a median gestational age at diagnosis of 30 weeks (range 22-37). The splenic cyst was confirmed after delivery in all but one case, which was lost to follow up. Postnatal sonographic examinations performed in the remaining eight cases showed that the cyst increased in size in two (25%), was stable in size in one (12%), decreased in size in one (12%), and completely regressed in the other four cases (50%). No complications associated with the cysts were reported in the infants. Congenital splenic cyst appears to be a benign condition with no known risk of perinatal complications. Nevertheless, differential diagnosis with other fetal cystic masses of the left upper abdominal quadrant and postnatal sonographic follow up to monitor the size of the cyst are important issues to be considered in the perinatal management of these cases.

With routine antenatal ultrasound and recent advances in ultrasound technology, fetal intraabdominal cystic masses are recognized more often and are better characterized than in the past. They may be classified as solid and cystic, and may originate from multiple structures. When considering the extensive differential diagnosis of cystic masses, the observation of peristalsis narrows the possibilities to the gastrointestinal tract. To find this feature on ultrasound, the examin...

A breast cholesterol granuloma is an uncommon nodular breast lesion. We incidentally detected a persistently enhancing breast mass on the dynamic abdominalcomputed tomography (CT) of a 78-year-old woman. The mass decreased in diameter over 50 days following a core needle biopsy. This report is the first to describe the dynamic-enhanced CT features of a breast cholesterol granuloma.

The authors describe a case of a 21-year-old white female admitted with abdominal pain and distension, as well as bowel movement alteration. A hard, lobulated and painful abdominalmass was found at physical exam and signs of ascitis were also presented. Abdominal and pelvic ultrasound and computed tomography demonstrated and heterogeneous mass, adhering to the anterior abdominal wall, extending from the umbilicus to the pelvis and displacing the urinary bladder inferiorly and bowel loops posteriorly. Cul-the-sac implants were also noted. The major omentum was diffusely infiltrated by nodules as laparotomy. A desmoplastic small cell tumor was found after histopathological analysis of the surgical specimen. (author)

... are at greater risk of having anxiety as young adults [2] . Abdominal pain or bellyaches in children What ... can help the overall situation for the child. Teaching kids self-hypnosis [8] or guided imagery [8a] ...

We report the case of a 50-year-old woman presented with a history of right hemicolectomy due to an ileocecal neuroendocrine tumor and left breast metastasis. Owing to a slightly elevated chromogranin A-level and lower abdominal pain, single photon emission computed tomography-computer tomography (SPECT-CT) was performed. There were no signs of recurrence on the SPECT-CT scan, but the patient was incidentally found to have an inflamed intramural myoma. We believe that the slightly elevated chromogranin A-level was caused by the hypertension that the patient presented. In the clinical context, this is a report of an inflamed uterine myoma seen as a false positive result detected by TC-99m-Tc-EDDA/HYNIC-Tyr3-Octreotide (Tektrotyd) SPECT-CT hybrid imaging.

We report the case of a 50-year-old woman presented with a history of right hemicolectomy due to an ileocecal neuroendocrine tumor and left breast metastasis. Owing to a slightly elevated chromogranin A-level and lower abdominal pain, single photon emission computed tomography-computer tomography (SPECT-CT) was performed. There were no signs of recurrence on the SPECT-CT scan, but the patient was incidentally found to have an inflamed intramural myoma. We believe that the slightly elevated chromogranin A-level was caused by the hypertension that the patient presented. In the clinical context, this is a report of an inflamed uterine myoma seen as a false positive result detected by TC-99m-Tc-EDDA/HYNIC-Tyr3-Octreotide (Tektrotyd) SPECT-CT hybrid imaging.

Full Text Available Background. The most common cause of abdominal trauma is blunt trauma, gunshot wounds and stab wounds are rare. Most commonly injured organs in abdominal cavity are the spleen and the liver.Conclusions. Early diagnosis is very important and include precise phisical examination and all available diagnostic methods. The final decission about the method of treatmet depends on patients clinical condition, surgeon’s experience and other local conditions.

With routine antenatal ultrasound and recent advances in ultrasound technology, fetal intraabdominal cystic masses are recognized more often and are better characterized than in the past. They may be classified as solid and cystic, and may originate from multiple structures. When considering the extensive differential diagnosis of cystic masses, the observation of peristalsis narrows the possibilities to the gastrointestinal tract. To find this feature on ultrasound, the examiner must expressly think and look for it, otherwise it may be missed. Our case report illustrates one of those cases.

Full Text Available With routine antenatal ultrasound and recent advances in ultrasound technology, fetal intraabdominal cystic masses are recognized more often and are better characterized than in the past. They may be classified as solid and cystic, and may originate from multiple structures. When considering the extensive differential diagnosis of cystic masses, the observation of peristalsis narrows the possibilities to the gastrointestinal tract. To find this feature on ultrasound, the examiner must expressly think and look for it, otherwise it may be missed. Our case report illustrates one of those cases.

Full Text Available Jejunal diverticulitis is a rare condition that can present with an acute abdomen and be referred for imaging.Ã‚Â We present the case of an elderly patient who at CT was diagnosed with an intra-abdominal abscess involving both jejunum and transverse colon. However, the underlying eitiology was not initially clear until small bowel barium follow-through.Pertinent points regarding CT findings in jejunal diverticulitis are discussed, and practical recommendations in small bowel diverticulum recognition and diagnosis are made.Ã‚Â

Background: Abdominal lymphangioma is a rare benign congenital malformation of the mesenteric and/or retroperitoneal lymphatics. Clinical presentation is variable and may be misleading; therefore, complex imaging studies are necessary in the evaluation of this condition. US and CT have a major role in the correct preoperative diagnosis and provide important information regarding location, size, adjacent organ involvement, and expected complications. Objective: To evaluate the clinical and imaging findings of seven children with proven abdominal cystic lymphangioma. Materials and methods: Clinical and imaging files of seven children with pathologically proven abdominal lymphangioma, from three university hospitals, were retrospectively evaluated. Patient's ages ranged from 1 day to 6 years (mean, 2.2 years). Symptoms and signs included evidence of inflammation, abnormal prenatal US findings, chronic abdominal pain, haemorrhage following trauma, clinical signs of intestinal obstruction, and abdominal distension with lower extremities lymphoedema. Plain films of five patients, US of six patients and CT of five patients were reviewed. Sequential imaging examinations were available in two cases. Results: Abdominal plain films showed displacement of bowel loops by a soft tissue mass in five of six patients, two of them with dilatation of small bowel loops. US revealed an abdominal multiloculated septated cystic mass in five of six cases and a single pelvic cyst in one which changed in appearance over 2 months. Ascites was present in three cases. CT demonstrated a septated cystic mass of variable sizes in all available five cases. Sequential US and CT examinations in two patients showed progressive enlargement of the masses, increase of fluid echogenicity, and thickening of walls or septa in both cases, with multiplication of septa in one case. At surgery, mesenteric lymphangioma was found in five patients and retroperitoneal lymphangioma in the other two

Full Text Available he first part of the paper includes a description of the rules used to generate the algorithm needed for the purpose of parallel computing and also discusses the origins of the idea of research on the use of graphics processors in large scale processing of laser scanning data. The next part of the paper includes the results of an efficiency assessment performed for an array of different processing options, all of which were substantially accelerated with parallel computing. The processing options were divided into the generation of orthophotos using point clouds, coloring of point clouds, transformations, and the generation of a regular grid, as well as advanced processes such as the detection of planes and edges, point cloud classification, and the analysis of data for the purpose of quality control. Most algorithms had to be formulated from scratch in the context of the requirements of parallel computing. A few of the algorithms were based on existing technology developed by the Dephos Software Company and then adapted to parallel computing in the course of this research study. Processing time was determined for each process employed for a typical quantity of data processed, which helped confirm the high efficiency of the solutions proposed and the applicability of parallel computing to the processing of laser scanning data. The high efficiency of parallel computing yields new opportunities in the creation and organization of processing methods for laser scanning data

Full Text Available ... not use ionizing radiation, has no known harmful effects, and is particularly valuable for evaluating abdominal, pelvic ... of the reflected sound waves (called the Doppler effect). A computer collects and processes the sounds and ...

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between adiposity and the magnitude of cardiovascular reactions to acute psychological stress cross-sectionally and prospectively in a large community sample. METHODS: Blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were measured at rest and in response to a brief time-pressured mental arithmetic stress in 1647 adults. At the same session and 5 years later, height, weight, waist and hip circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio were...

To evaluate feasibility of radiation dose reduction by optimal phase selection of computed tomography (CT) in patients who visited the emergency department (ED) for abdominal pain. We included 253 patients who visited the ED for abdominal pain. They underwent multiphasic CT including precontrast, late arterial phase (LAP), and hepatic venous phase (HVP). Three image sets (HVP, precontrast + HVP, and precontrast + LAP + HVP) were reviewed. Two reviewers determined the most appropriate diagnosis with five-point confidence scale. Diagnostic performances were compared among image sets by weighted-least-squares method or DeLong's method. Linear mixed model was used to assess changes of diagnostic confidence and radiation dose. There was no difference in diagnostic performance among three image sets, although diagnostic confidence level was significantly improved after review of triphasic images compared with both HVP images only or HVP with precontrast images (confidence scale, 4.64 ± 0.05, 4.66 ± 0.05, and 4.76 ± 0.04 in the order of the sets; overall P = 0.0008). Similar trends were observed in the subgroup analysis for diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease and cholecystitis. There is no difference between HVP-CT alone and multiphasic CT for the diagnosis of causes of abdominal pain in patients admitted to the ED without prior chronic disease or neoplasia. • There was no difference in diagnostic performance of HVP CT and multiphasic CT. • The diagnostic confidence level was improved after review of the LAP images. • HVP CT can achieve diagnostic performance similar to that of multiphasic CT, while minimizing radiation.

Lung masses are often difficult to differentiate when their clinical symptoms and shapes or densities on computed tomography images are similar. However, with different pathological contents, they may appear differently on plain and enhanced computed tomography. Objectives: To determine the value of enhanced computed tomography for the differential diagnosis of lung masses based on the differences in radio density with and without enhancement. Patients and Methods: Thirty-six patients with lung cancer, 36 with pulmonary tuberculosis and 10 with inflammatory lung pseudo tumors diagnosed by computed tomography and confirmed by pathology in our hospital were selected. The mean ±SD radio densities of lung masses in the three groups of patients were calculated based on the results of plain and enhanced computed tomography. Results: There were no significant differences in the radio densities of the masses detected by plain computed tomography among patients with inflammatory lung pseudo tumors, tuberculosis and lung cancer (P> 0.05). However, there were significant differences (P< 0.01)between all the groups in terms of radio densities of masses detected by enhanced computed tomography. Conclusions: The radio densities of lung masses detected by enhanced computed tomography could potentially be used to differentiate between lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis and inflammatory lung pseudo tumors.

to the vertices. First, this work reviews two methods based on a vectorial shape of the bed evolution equation (no scalar contributions from storage, erosion and deposition) in terms of their mass conserving properties. Second, a method that allows for scalar contributions in the bed evolution equation (the Exner...... of a geometric sand sliding routine on unstructured grids. The newly proposed interpolation method and the sand sliding routine are tested, and mass conservation of the sediment is considered with special emphasis on the effect of the solution accuracy for the suspended sediment transport. Discussions on other...... interpolation methods and their mass conserving properties are given with a special focus of the distance weighted interpolation method directly available and easily applied in Open FOAM. Furthermore, effects from horizontal displacements of the vertices, explicit filtering of the evolving bed and morphological...

Abdominal infections are an important challenge for the intensive care physician. In an era of increasing antimicrobial resistance, selecting the appropriate regimen is important and, with new drugs coming to the market, correct use is important more than ever before and abdominal infections are an excellent target for antimicrobial stewardship programs. Biomarkers may be helpful, but their exact role in managing abdominal infections remains incompletely understood. Source control also remains an ongoing conundrum, and evidence is increasing that its importance supersedes the impact of antibiotic therapy. New strategies such as open abdomen management may offer added benefit in severely ill patients, but more data are needed to identify its exact role. The role of fungi and the need for antifungal coverage, on the other hand, have been investigated extensively in recent years, but at this point, it remains unclear who requires empirical as well as directed therapy.

Computed tomography (CT) was performed on renal tumors (Wilms' tumor and renal cell carcinoma) and renal cysts in dogs and cats. CT images in renal tumors were well correlated with macroscopic findings, and contrast CT images were quite useful in differentiating tumoral regions from non-tumoral ones. On renal cysts, intravenous pyelography and ultrasonography were as effective as CT images in morphological diagnosis, but CT was considered to be superior for evaluating three-dimensional (3-D) relationships in complicated lesions. (author)

Full Text Available Abdominal-pelvic actinomycosis is often mistaken for other conditions, presenting a preoperative diagnostic challenge. In a 46-year-old female, computed tomography showed an abdominal-pelvic retroperitoneal mass extending from the lower pole of the right kidney to the lower pelvis. The patient had a 3-year history of intrauterine device. The mass appeared to involve the ascending colon, cecum, distal ileum, right Fallopian tube and ovary, and ureter anteriorly and the psoas muscle posteriorly. The resection of retroperitoneal mass, distal ileum appendicectomy, right hemicolectomy, and right salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. The postoperative period was uneventful. Penicillin therapy was given for six months without any complication. The retroperitoneal mass measured 4.5 × 3.5 × 3 cm, surrounded adjacent organs and histologically showed inflammatory granulomatous tissue, agglomeration of filaments, and sulfur granules of Actinomyces, with positive reaction with periodic acid Schiff. Right tubo-ovarian abscess was present. Abdominalpelvic actinomycosis should always be considered in patients with a pelvic mass especially in ones using intrauterine device.

Full text: There are numerous conditions that affect mainly or exclusively the pediatric population. These constitute true emergencies, related to patient's health. Delay in diagnosis and treatment of abdominal non-traumatic emergencies may result in rapid deterioration, peritonitis, sepsis, even death or in severe complications with subsequent morbidity. Abdominal emergencies in children mostly present with pain, tenderness, occasionally coupled by vomiting, fever, abdominal distension, and failure to pass meconium or stools. Diarrhea, blood per rectum, abnormal laboratory tests and lethargy may also be manifestations of acute abdominal conditions. Abdominal emergencies have a different aetiology, depending on age and whether the pain is acute or chronic. Symptoms have to be matched with age and gender. Newborns up to 1 months of age may have congenital diseases: atresia, low obstruction including Hirschsprung's disease, meconium ileus. Meconium plug is one of the commonest cause of low obstruction in newborns that may also develop necrotizing enterocolitis, incarcerated inguinal hernia and mid-gut volvulus. Past the immediate postnatal period, any duodenal obstruction should be considered midgut volvulus until proven otherwise and patients should undergo ultrasonography and/or properly performed upper GI contrast study that records the exact position of the deduno-jejunal junction. Infants 6 months-2 years carry the risk of intussusception, mid-gut volvulus, perforation, acute pyelonephritis. Preschool and school-aged children 2-12 years carry the risk of appendicitis, genito-urinary abnormalities including torsion, urachal abnormalities, haemolytic uremic syndrome and Henoch-Schonlein purpura. Children above 12 years suffer from the same conditions as in adults. Most conditions may affect any age despite age predilection. Abdominal solid organ ultrasonography (US) coupled with gastrointestinal ultrasonography is the principle imaging modality in radiosensitive

Full Text Available Recent studies have shown that the elderly exhibit a subclinical state of inflammation associated with increased adipose tissue and several comorbidities. To compare the effects of mat Pilates based exercises and resistance exercise on the serum levels of reactive C protein of high sensitivity (hs-CRP, in the abdominal circumference (AC and the body mass index (BMI in the elderly. It is a randomised clinical trial with a sample of 78 elderly individuals (median age 69 years. The active independent variable investigated was nature of treatment intervention (Pilates mat based exercises vs resistance exercise, and the dependent variables were hs-CRP level, AC and BMI. The statistical analysis used Wilcoxon signed rank and Mann-Whitney tests. The correlation between the continuous variables was assessed using Spearman’s coefficient of correlation. The data were analysed using SPSS software version 17.0, and probability values lower than 5% (p< 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Mat Pilates based exercises exhibited reductions in serum hs-CPR level (Wilcoxon signed rank test; z = -2.466, p = 0.01, BMI (Wilcoxon signed rank test; z = -3.295, p = 0.001 and AC (Wilcoxon signed rank test; z = -3.398, p = 0.01. Mat Pilates based exercises promoted a significant reduction of the serum hs-CRP levels and anthropometric measurements in elderly individuals.

We report a case of a 77-year-old female who was admitted to the emergency department complaining of diffuse abdominal pain for five days, associated with nausea, vomiting and constipation. Physical examination disclosed a large incarcerated umbilical hernia, which was readily apparent on supine abdominal plain films. These also showed a calcified heterogeneous mass in the mid-abdominal region, which was further characterized by CT as a lithopedion (calcified ectopic pregnancy). This is one of the few cases studied on a MDCT equipment, and it clearly enhances the post-processing abilities of this imaging method which allows diagnostic high-quality MIP images. Lithopedion is a rare entity, with less than 300 cases previously described in the medical literature. However, many reported cases corresponded to cases of skeletonization or collections of fetal bone fragments discovered encysted in the pelvic region at surgery or autopsy. It is thus estimated that true lithopedion is a much rarer entity. The diagnosis may be reached by a suggestive clinical history and a palpable mass on physical examination, while the value of modern cross-sectional techniques is still virtually unknown. Ultrasonography may depict an empty uterine cavity and a calcified abdominalmass of non-specific characteristics, and computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging are able to reach a conclusive diagnosis and may additionally define the involvement of adjacent structures. The differential diagnosis includes other calcified pathologic situations, including ovarian tumors, uterine fibroids, urinary tract neoplasms, inflammatory masses or epiploic calcifications

Common causes of acute abdominal pain include appendicitis, cholecystitis, bowel obstruction, urinary colic, perforated peptic ulcer, pancreatitis, diverticulitis, and nonspecific, nonsurgical abdominal pain. The topographic classification of acute abdominal pain (pain in one of the four abdominal quadrants, diffuse abdominal pain, flank or epigastric pain) facilitates the choice of the imaging technique. The initial radiological evaluation often consists of plain abdominal radiography, despite significant diagnostic limitations. The traditional indications for plain films - bowel obstruction, pneumoperitoneum, and the search of ureteral calculi - are questioned by helical computed tomography (CT). Although ultrasonography (US) is in many centers the modality of choice for imaging the gallbladder and the pelvis in children and women of reproductive age, CT is considered to be one of the most valued tools for triaging patients with acute abdominal pain. CT is particularly beneficial in patients with marked obesity, unclear US findings, bowel obstruction, and multiple lesions. The introduction of multidetector row CT (MDCT) has further enhanced the utility of CT in imaging patients with acute abdominal pain. (orig.)

Common causes of acute abdominal pain include appendicitis, cholecystitis, bowel obstruction, urinary colic, perforated peptic ulcer, pancreatitis, diverticulitis, and nonspecific, nonsurgical abdominal pain. The topographic classification of acute abdominal pain (pain in one of the four abdominal quadrants, diffuse abdominal pain, flank or epigastric pain) facilitates the choice of the imaging technique. The initial radiological evaluation often consists of plain abdominal radiography, despite significant diagnostic limitations. The traditional indications for plain films - bowel obstruction, pneumoperitoneum, and the search of ureteral calculi - are questioned by helical computed tomography (CT). Although ultrasonography (US) is in many centers the modality of choice for imaging the gallbladder and the pelvis in children and women of reproductive age, CT is considered to be one of the most valued tools for triaging patients with acute abdominal pain. CT is particularly beneficial in patients with marked obesity, unclear US findings, bowel obstruction, and multiple lesions. The introduction of multidetector row CT (MDCT) has further enhanced the utility of CT in imaging patients with acute abdominal pain. (orig.)

Full Text Available The sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD measured in supine position is an alternative adiposity indicator that estimates the quantity of dysfunctional adipose tissue in the visceral depot. However, supine SAD's distribution and its association with health risk at the population level are unknown. Here we describe standardized measurements of SAD, provide the first, national estimates of the SAD distribution among US adults, and test associations of SAD and other adiposity indicators with prevalent dysglycemia.In the 2011-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, supine SAD was measured ("abdominal height" between arms of a sliding-beam caliper at the level of the iliac crests. From 4817 non-pregnant adults (age ≥ 20; response rate 88% we used sample weights to estimate SAD's population distribution by sex and age groups. SAD's population mean was 22.5 cm [95% confidence interval 22.2-22.8]; median was 21.9 cm [21.6-22.4]. The mean and median values of SAD were greater for men than women. For the subpopulation without diagnosed diabetes, we compared the abilities of SAD, waist circumference (WC, and body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2 to identify prevalent dysglycemia (HbA1c ≥ 5.7%. For age-adjusted, logistic-regression models in which sex-specific quartiles of SAD were considered simultaneously with quartiles of either WC or BMI, only SAD quartiles 3 (p<0.05 vs quartile 1 and 4 (p<0.001 vs quartile 1 remained associated with increased dysglycemia. Based on continuous adiposity indicators, analyses of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC indicated that the dysglycemia model fit for SAD (age-adjusted was 0.734 for men (greater than the AUC for WC, p<0.001 and 0.764 for women (greater than the AUC for WC or BMI, p<0.001.Measured inexpensively by bedside caliper, SAD was associated with dysglycemia independently of WC or BMI. Standardized SAD measurements may enhance assessment of dysfunctional adiposity.

Full Text Available Endometriosis is a frequent benign disorder. Malignancy arising in extraovarian endometriosis is a rare event. A 49-year-old woman is presented with a large painful abdominal wall mass. She underwent a myomectomy, 20 years before, for uterus leiomyoma. Computed tomography suggested that this was a desmoid tumor and she underwent surgery. Histological examination showed a clear cell adenocarcinoma associated with endometriosis foci. Pelvic ultrasound, computed tomography, and endometrial curettage did not show any malignancy or endometriosis in the uterus and ovaries. Adjuvant chemotherapy was recommended, but the patient was lost to follow up. Six months later, she returned with a recurrence of the abdominal wall mass. She was given chemotherapy and then she was reoperated.

A description is given of a development of computer analysis of low-resolution chromatographic-mass spectrometric data, which provides a preliminary classification of an unknown spectrum as a listing of candidate classes of compounds. This procedure, referred to as COMSOC (Classification of Mass Spectra on Computers), operates by converting an incoming unknown mass spectrum into a simplified key word which is then compared with each of the key words held in its reference file. The advantages of COMSOC in characterizing complex mixtures are emphasized.

In order to assess the usefulness of CT functional images, twenty one cases with liver masses were studied. We tried to minimize the motion artifacts by immobilizing the patients with a girdle in performing dynamic CT scans, and by discarding some of the segmented images with serious artifacts before constructing functional images. The qualities of images obtained were considered satisfactory. Of the several transit parameters obtained from the dynamic CT scans, we found the first moment (M1) to be most useful and the effectiveness of M1-functional images were studied. In all cases with hepatocellular carcinomas (12 cases) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (2 cases), the M1-functional images showed the viable portions of tumors as accumulations of dark pixels reflecting rapid transit times due to arterial blood supply. In three cases with hepatic cavernous hemangiomas, the lesions were represented as bright areas with a well-defined border. In two cases with hepatic abscesses, the M1-functional images suggested the presence of hyperemia in the surrounding tissue as demonstrated by bright pixels around the lesions. CT functional imaging was proved to be useful for evaluating the circulatory dynamics of contrast material and the differential diagnosis of liver tumors when conventional or dynamic CT studies failed to provide enough information. This technique enabled overall analysis of time-density curves for the entire plane of an image semiautomatically and without the subjective maneuver of setting ROI's (regions of interest).

The pathology of the human abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and its relationship to the later complication of intraluminal thrombus (ILT) formation remains unclear. The hemodynamics in the diseased abdominal aorta are hypothesized to be a key contributor to the formation and growth of ILT. The objective of this investigation is to establish a reliable 3D flow visualization method with corresponding validation tests with high confidence in order to provide insight into the basic hemodynamic features for a better understanding of hemodynamics in AAA pathology and seek potential treatment for AAA diseases. A stereoscopic particle image velocity (PIV) experiment was conducted using transparent patient-specific experimental AAA models (with and without ILT) at three axial planes. Results show that before ILT formation, a 3D vortex was generated in the AAA phantom. This geometry-related vortex was not observed after the formation of ILT, indicating its possible role in the subsequent appearance of ILT in this patient. It may indicate that a longer residence time of recirculated blood flow in the aortic lumen due to this vortex caused sufficient shear-induced platelet activation to develop ILT and maintain uniform flow conditions. Additionally, two computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling codes (Fluent and an in-house cardiovascular CFD code) were compared with the two-dimensional, three-component velocity stereoscopic PIV data. Results showed that correlation coefficients of the out-of-plane velocity data between PIV and both CFD methods are greater than 0.85, demonstrating good quantitative agreement. The stereoscopic PIV study can be utilized as test case templates for ongoing efforts in cardiovascular CFD solver development. Likewise, it is envisaged that the patient-specific data may provide a benchmark for further studying hemodynamics of actual AAA, ILT, and their convolution effects under physiological conditions for clinical applications. PMID:24316984

Full Text Available Background: Obesity is a medical condition that may adversely affect wellbeing and leading to increased incidence of many health problems. Abdominal obesity tends to be associated with weight gain and obesity and it is significantly connected with different disorders like coronary heart disease and type II diabetes mellitus.This study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of vacuum therapy as compared to abdominal exercises on abdominal obesity in overweight and obese women. Methods: Thirtyoverweight and obese women participated in this study with body mass index > 25 kg/m2andwaist circumference ≥ 85 cm. Their ages ranged from 28 - 40 years old.The subjects were excluded if they have diabetes, abdominal infection diseases or any physical limitation restricting exercise ability. They were randomly allocated into two equal groups; group I and group II. Group I received vacuum therapy sessions (by the use of LPG device in addition to aerobic exercise training. Group II received abdominal exercises in addition to the same aerobic exercisesgiven to group I. This study was extended for successive 8 weeks (3 sessions/ week. All subjects were assessed for thickness ofnthe abdominal skin fold, waist circumference and body mass index. Results: The results of this study showeda significant difference between group I and group II post-interventionas regarding to the mean values of waist circumference and abdominal skin fold thickness (p<0.05. Conclusion: It can be concluded that aerobic exercises combined with vacuum therapy (for three sessions/week for successive 8 weeks have a positive effect on women with abdominal obesity in terms of reducing waist circumference and abdominal skin fold thickness.

Proteus syndrome is an extremely rare congenital disorder that produces multifocal overgrowth of tissue. This report presents a surgical case of a large lipoma in the abdominal wall of a patient with Proteus syndrome. She was diagnosed with Proteus syndrome based on certain diagnostic criteria. The neoplasm increased in size gradually, producing hemihypertrophy of her left lower extremity and trunk, and spread to her retroperitoneum and her left abdominal wall. She experienced gradually progressive constipation, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen demonstrated a large mass in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of the left lower abdominal wall which measured 12 cm × 8 cm x 6 cm in diameter and encased the left colon. This mass in the abdominal wall was excised. The weight of the excised mass was 1550 g. The histopathological diagnosis of this mass was lipoma. After surgery, the encasement of the left colon was improved, and the patient was able to move her bowels twice per day. The excision of the large lipoma in the abdominal wall contributed to the improved bowel passage in this patient with Proteus syndrome. PMID:19598310

: Retrospective analysis of patients operated for abdominal wall endometrioma with emphasis on data relating to age, symptoms, previous cesarean, relation of symptoms with the menstrual cycle, physical examinations and additional surgical treatment, postoperative course and histopathological results of specimens. RESULTS: Forteen patients were operated during the study period, aged between 28 and 40 years. The presence of local mass and pain that worsened during menstruation were the main complaints. Ultrasound and CT examinations were important to precisely localize the disease. Surgical excision was a wide excision of the tumor and affected tissues. The patient progressed satisfactorily and histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of abdominal wall endometrioma in all cases. CONCLUSION: Exists a clear relationship between cesarean operation and abdominal wall endometrioma; ultrasound studies and CT scans help to plan the surgical resection allowing resection of tumor and all affected adjacent tissues.

Full Text Available A 42-year-old female presented to the emergency department with diffuse abdominal pain, vaginal discharge, and a fever of 102°F. She described multiple recent male sexual partners, with inconsistent condom use. Her vital signs were unremarkable. Her physical exam was notable for moderate right lower quadrant tenderness to palpation. There was no cervical motion tenderness. The emergency physician performed a bedside abdominal ultrasound (Video, and subsequently ordered a computed tomography (Figure, which confirmed the diagnosis.

To examine whether there is a major gene effect on fasting insulin and pleiotropic loci for fasting insulin, total fat mass (FM), and abdominal visceral fat (AVF). A major gene hypothesis for fasting plasma insulin levels was assessed using segregation analyses of data on 495 members in 98 normolipidemic sedentary families of white descent who participated in the HERITAGE Family Study. Segregation analyses were performed on insulin adjusted for age, on insulin adjusted for age and FM, and on insulin adjusted for age and AVF. Before adjustment for AVF and FM, a major gene effect on fasting insulin levels was indicated. The putative locus accounted for 54% of the variance under a recessive inheritance pattern, affecting 11% of the sample (i.e., allele frequency = 0.33). However, after adjusting for the effects of AVF or FM, neither a major effect alone nor a multifactorial component alone could be rejected, and support for a major gene was equivocal, i.e., neither the hypothesis of Mendelian tau values or that of the equal tau(s) were rejected and the equal tau model fit the data better than the Mendelian tau model. This pattern (i.e., major gene evidence for insulin before but not after adjustment for AVF or FM) suggests that there is a putative locus with pleiotropic effects on both insulin and FM and another pleiotropic locus for both insulin and AVF. Although these data do not directly support an additional major gene for insulin independent of AVF and FM, such support cannot be ruled out because there is still a significant major effect on FM- or AVF-adjusted insulin (albeit the Mendelian nature of this effect is ambiguous).

Full Text Available PURPOSE: To compare the characteristics of tubercular vs. leukemic involvement of abdominopelvic lymph nodes using multidetector computed tomography (CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed multidetector computed tomography features including lymph node size, shape, enhancement patterns, and anatomical distribution, in 106 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed, untreated tuberculosis (55 patients; 52% or leukemia (51 patients; 48%. In patients with leukemia, 32 (62.7% had chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and 19 (37.3% had acute leukemias; of these, 10 (19.6% had acute myeloid leukemia, and 9 (17.6% had acute lymphocytic leukemia. RESULTS: The lower para-aortic (30.9% for tuberculosis, 63.2% for acute leukemias and 87.5% for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and inguinal (9.1% for tuberculosis, 57.9% for acute leukemias and 53.1% for chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymph nodes were involved more frequently in the three types of leukemia than in tuberculosis (both with p <0.017. Tuberculosis showed peripheral enhancement, frequently with a multilocular appearance, in 43 (78.2% patients, whereas patients with leukemia (78.9% for acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphocytic leukemia, 87.5% for chronic lymphocytic leukemia demonstrated predominantly homogeneous enhancement (both with p <0.017. For the diagnosis of tuberculosis, the analysis showed that a peripheral enhancement pattern had a sensitivity of 78.2%, a specificity of 100%, and an accuracy of 88.7%. For the diagnosis of leukemia, the analysis showed that a homogeneous enhancement pattern was associated with a sensitivity of 84.3%, a specificity of 94.5%, and an accuracy of 89.6%. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that the anatomical distribution and enhancement patterns of lymphadenopathy seen on multidetector computed tomography are useful for differentiating between untreated tuberculosis and leukemia of the abdominopelvic lymph nodes.

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI and computed tomography (CT in oral masses of dogs. Nineteen dogs underwent clinical, MR and CT examinations. Eleven malignant and ten non-malignant masses were evaluated. Osteosarcoma was the most commonly found malignant oral mass and gingival hyperplasia was the most commonly found benign mass. The results showed that MRI provided more accurate information regarding the size of the masses and invasion of adjacent structures although MRI and CT show similar accuracy in assessment of bone invasion. Calcification and cortical bone erosion was better seen on CT images. Whereas contrast-MRI provided useful additional information, contrast-CT had no added benefit. In general, oral masses located in the caudal mandible, oropharynx and maxilla are better evaluated using MRI, once the histological type has been verified.

The prospects for finding transiting exoplanets in the range of a few to 20 Earth masses is growing rapidly with both ground-based and spaced-based efforts. We describe a publicly available computer code to compute and quantify the compositional ambiguities for differentiated solid exoplanets with a measured mass and radius, including the mass and radius uncertainties.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality [1, 2]. CRC screening by fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) has been shown to reduce CRC mortality [3, 4], and is currently used in several European countries. Colonoscopy is highly effective for detecting advanced neoplasia, and endoscopic polypectomy reduces subsequent CRCspecific incidence and mortality [5]. In Europe, colonoscopy is mainly used to investigate FOBT-positive or symptomatic patients, or as a preventive strategy in those with increased CRC risk [6]. Computed tomographic colonography (CTC) is a minimally invasive imaging technique that is highly accurate for detecting colorectal cancer (CRC) and adenomatous polyps. The technique is standardized [7], and CTC is more easily performed than barium enema. Evidence-based data suggest that CTC is the natural replacement for barium enema and a complementary rather than an alternative examination to colonoscopy. However, the clinical scenarios for which CTC is indicated remain unclear. To address this uncertainty - 20 years after the first presentation of CTC at a radiological meeting [8] - the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR) decided to produce a common guideline regarding indications for CTC in clinical practice. Technical and quality issues of CTC have been deliberately excluded from this work as these have already been discussed separately [7].

Professionally, radiographers are accountable for their practice. Available literature highlights the ramifications of not using anatomical side markers within the primary beam. It was thought by the authors that the installation of a computed radiography (CR) system could potentially cause a change in practice due to the ease of adding anatomical side markers manually/electronically during post-processing. This study assessed anatomical marker use within the primary beam at a district general hospital in East Anglia, one-year pre-CR installation and one-year post-CR installation. 100 abdominal images were evaluated from each time period and the presence of anatomical side markers was recorded and compared to establish any significant change. The study showed that although there was a decline in use of anatomical side markers used within the primary beam post-CR installation (from 32% to 25%), the changes were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). However, the agreed standard of 100% images having the primary beam side marker present was not met. There is a conflict of opinion about the necessity for anatomical side markers to be used within the primary beam. However, the researchers believe there is a case for recommending alterations and improvements to practice to comply with 'best practice' requirements.

Full Text Available Actinomycosis is a rare, chronic suppurative infection caused by the Gram-positive anaerobic filamentous bacterium, Actinomyces Israeli. In most cases, the diagnosis is made postoperatively because of its unusual clinical presentation. Abdominal actinomycosis is the second most common site of the disease and may mimic abdominal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease or diverticulitis. The abdominal-pelvic form of this disease mostly results from the prolonged use of an intrauterine device. We report a rare case of combined intra- and extra-abdominal actinomycosis mimicking urachal tumor that was diagnosed by computed tomography, which presented as two tender abdominal palpable masses following long-term intrauterine device use. The disease was confirmed by postoperative histopathologic examination, which revealed sulfur granules microscopically, and was successfully treated by complete surgical resection following a period of appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Purpose: To demonstrate that fiducial tracking during pretreatment Cone-Beam CT (CBCT) can accurately measure tumor motion and that this method should be used to validate 4-dimensional CT (4DCT) margins before each treatment fraction. Methods and Materials: For 31 patients with abdominal tumors and implanted fiducial markers, tumor motion was measured daily with CBCT and fluoroscopy for 202 treatment fractions. Fiducial tracking and maximum-likelihood algorithms extracted 3-dimensional fiducial trajectories from CBCT projections. The daily internal margin (IM) (ie, range of fiducial motion) was calculated for CBCT and fluoroscopy as the 5th-95th percentiles of displacement in each cardinal direction. The planning IM from simulation 4DCT (IM{sub 4DCT}) was considered adequate when within ±1.2 mm (anterior–posterior, left–right) and ±3 mm (superior–inferior) of the daily measured IM. We validated CBCT fiducial tracking as an accurate predictive measure of intrafraction motion by comparing the daily measured IM{sub CBCT} with the daily IM measured by pretreatment fluoroscopy (IM{sub pre-fluoro}); these were compared with pre- and posttreatment fluoroscopy (IM{sub fluoro}) to identify those patients who could benefit from imaging during treatment. Results: Four-dimensional CT could not accurately predict intrafractional tumor motion for ≥80% of fractions in 94% (IM{sub CBCT}), 97% (IM{sub pre-fluoro}), and 100% (IM{sub fluoro}) of patients. The IM{sub CBCT} was significantly closer to IM{sub pre-fluoro} than IM{sub 4DCT} (P 7.5 minutes group, demonstrating the need for patient-specific intratreatment imaging. Conclusions: Tumor motion determined from 4DCT simulation does not accurately predict the daily motion observed on CBCT or fluoroscopy. Cone-beam CT could

Based on a theoretical analysis of convective heat transfer across large internal surface areas, this paper discusses the design implications for generating lightweight gas-gas heat exchanger designs by packaging such areas into compact three-dimensional shapes. Allowances are made for hot and cold inlet and outlet headers for assembly of completed regenerator (or recuperator) heat exchanger units into closed cycle gas turbine flow ducting. Surface area and resulting volume and mass requirements are computed for a range of heat exchanger effectiveness values and internal heat transfer coefficients. Benefit cost curves show the effect of increasing heat exchanger effectiveness on Brayton cycle thermodynamic efficiency on the plus side, while also illustrating the cost in heat exchanger required surface area, volume, and mass requirements as effectiveness is increased. The equations derived for counterflow and crossflow configurations show that as effectiveness values approach unity, or 100 percent, the required surface area, and hence heat exchanger volume and mass tend toward infinity, since the implication is that heat is transferred at a zero temperature difference. To verify the dimensional accuracy of the regenerator masscomputational procedure, calculation of a regenerator specific mass, that is, heat exchanger weight per unit working fluid mass flow, is performed in both English and SI units. Identical numerical values for the specific mass parameter, whether expressed in lb/(lb/sec) or kg/ (kg/sec), show the dimensional consistency of overall results.

Aim: First we aimed to assess the reproducibility of a computer tomography angiography (CTA) based technique for measuring infra-renal aortic volume and diameter. Second we sought to investigate whether changes in aortic volume and diameter were similar during follow-up. Materials and methods: A prospective series of 57 patients, with aortic diameter initially measuring between 25 and 55 mm, were assessed with 2 CTAs a median of 14 months apart. Aortic volume and maximum diameter (both axial and orthogonal) were measured by a semi-automated workstation protocol based on previously defined techniques. Intra- and inter-observer reproducibility were assessed by repeat assessment of the initial CTA images of the first 33 patients included in the study, in order to estimate the 95% limits of agreements. Changes in aortic dimensions between the first and follow-up CTA, were defined for volume and diameter separately as changes greater than their respective 95% limits of agreement. Results: Reproducibility of aortic volume and diameter was excellent with an average coefficient of variation 3 (0.01-14.18), 1.2 mm (0.40-3.50) and 1.4 mm (-0.15 to 3.55) respectively. Forty-two percent of patients who had increased aortic volume above the 95% limit of agreement did not display corresponding axial or orthogonal diameter changes. Conclusions: Infra-renal total aortic volume, axial and orthogonal diameter can all be measured reproducibly from CTA. Aortic volume changes are not always reflected by similar changes in diameter and therefore provide complementary information when assessing AAA expansion over time.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of independent reading with computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) and independent double reading on radiologists' performance to characterize mass lesions on serial mammograms. Six radiologists rated 198 cases, 99 benign and 99 malignant. For each case,

Content analysis of mass media publications has become a major scientific method used to analyze public discourse on climate change. We propose a computer-assisted content analysis method to extract prevalent themes and analyze discourse changes over an extended period in an objective and quantifiable manner. The method includes the following: (1)…

False positive (FP) marks represent an obstacle for effective use of computer-aided detection (CADe) of breast masses in mammography. Typically, the problem can be approached either by developing more discriminative features or by employing different classifier designs. In this paper, the usage of

In the last two decades, computational tools for mass spectrometry-based proteomics data analysis have evolved from a few stand-alone software solutions serving specific goals, such as the identification of amino acid sequences based on mass spectrometry spectra, to large-scale complex pipelines integrating multiple computer programs to solve a collection of problems. This software evolution has been mostly driven by the appearance of novel technologies that allowed the community to tackle complex biological problems, such as the identification of proteins that are differentially expressed in two samples under different conditions. The achievement of such objectives requires a large suite of programs to analyze the intricate mass spectrometry data. Our laboratory addresses complex proteomics questions by producing and using algorithms and software packages. Our current computational pipeline includes, among other things, tools for mass spectrometry raw data processing, peptide and protein identification and quantification, post-translational modification analysis, and protein functional enrichment analysis. In this paper, we describe a suite of software packages we have developed to process mass spectrometry-based proteomics data and we highlight some of the new features of previously published programs as well as tools currently under development.

The goal of this project is to develop a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for mass detection using advanced computer vision techniques that will be trained with retrospectively detected cancers on prior mammograms...

The goal of this project is to develop a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for mass detection using advanced computer vision techniques that will be trained with retrospectively detected cancers on prior mammograms...

Postoperative pleural-pulmonary changes (PPC) are very common following elective abdominal surgery, resolving without clinical manifestations in most patients. The incidence and risk factors associated are unknown. Objective: to determine the incidence of PPC and possible association with risk factors using computerized tomography (CT). Material and method: thirty seven patients submitted to elective abdominal surgery were prospectively analyzed using CT performed in the preoperative period and 48 hours after surgery. The PPC was scored from 0 to III. The risk factors evaluated were: age, sex, obesity, smoking history, alcoholism, comorbid conditions, cancer, ASA classification, duration of surgery, surgical incision type and number of days of hospitalization. Results: Pleura effusion was detected by CT in 70.3% (26/37) of the patients and pulmonary atelectasis in 75.5% (28/37). Grade I and II PPC was found in 59.5% (22/37) of the patients and grade III in 21.6% (8/37). Two (5.4%) of these patients developed serious pulmonary complications whereas one patient died. Surgery due to cancer, class ASA >2, longitudinal incision and > 15 cm showed statistical significance and were associated with pleural effusion. The hospitalization was over 2.4 longer for patients with PPC. Conclusion: PPC is frequently seen in patients submitted to abdominal surgery. The use of the CT for the detection of pulmonary atelectasis and pleural effusion proved to be effective. Most cases of PPC are self-limited, resolving without symptoms. (author)

Two methods for measuring the W boson mass with the CMS detector have been presented in this thesis. Both methods use similarities between W boson and Z boson decays. Their statistical and systematic precisions have been determined for W {yields} {mu}{nu}; the statistics corresponds to one inverse femtobarn of data. A large number of events needed to be simulated for this analysis; it was not possible to use the full simulation software because of the enormous computing time which would have been needed. Instead, a fast simulation tool for the CMS detector was used. Still, the computing requirements for the fast simulation exceeded the capacity of the local compute cluster. Since the data taken and processed at the LHC will be extremely large, the LHC experiments rely on the emerging grid computing tools. The computing capabilities of the grid have been used for simulating all physics events needed for this thesis. To achieve this, the local compute cluster had to be integrated into the grid and the administration of the grid components had to be secured. As this was the first installation of its kind, several contributions to grid training events could be made: courses on grid installation, administration and grid-enabled applications were given. The two methods for the W mass measurement are the morphing method and the scaling method. The morphing method relies on an analytical transformation of Z boson events into W boson events and determines the W boson mass by comparing the transverse mass distributions; the scaling method relies on scaled observables from W boson and Z boson events, e.g. the transverse muon momentum as studied in this thesis. In both cases, a re-weighting technique applied to Monte Carlo generated events is used to take into account different selection cuts, detector acceptances, and differences in production and decay of W boson and Z boson events. (orig.)

Two methods for measuring the W boson mass with the CMS detector have been presented in this thesis. Both methods use similarities between W boson and Z boson decays. Their statistical and systematic precisions have been determined for W → μν; the statistics corresponds to one inverse femtobarn of data. A large number of events needed to be simulated for this analysis; it was not possible to use the full simulation software because of the enormous computing time which would have been needed. Instead, a fast simulation tool for the CMS detector was used. Still, the computing requirements for the fast simulation exceeded the capacity of the local compute cluster. Since the data taken and processed at the LHC will be extremely large, the LHC experiments rely on the emerging grid computing tools. The computing capabilities of the grid have been used for simulating all physics events needed for this thesis. To achieve this, the local compute cluster had to be integrated into the grid and the administration of the grid components had to be secured. As this was the first installation of its kind, several contributions to grid training events could be made: courses on grid installation, administration and grid-enabled applications were given. The two methods for the W mass measurement are the morphing method and the scaling method. The morphing method relies on an analytical transformation of Z boson events into W boson events and determines the W boson mass by comparing the transverse mass distributions; the scaling method relies on scaled observables from W boson and Z boson events, e.g. the transverse muon momentum as studied in this thesis. In both cases, a re-weighting technique applied to Monte Carlo generated events is used to take into account different selection cuts, detector acceptances, and differences in production and decay of W boson and Z boson events. (orig.)

In this paper, we investigate the possibility of computing quantitatively accurate images of mass density variations in soft tissue. This is a challenging task, because density variations in soft tissue, such as the breast, can be very subtle. Beginning from an image of refraction angle created by either diffraction-enhanced imaging (DEI) or multiple-image radiography (MIR), we estimate the mass-density image using a constrained least squares (CLS) method. The CLS algorithm yields accurate density estimates while effectively suppressing noise. Our method improves on an analytical method proposed by Hasnah et al (2005 Med. Phys. 32 549-52), which can produce significant artefacts when even a modest level of noise is present. We present a quantitative evaluation study to determine the accuracy with which mass density can be determined in the presence of noise. Based on computer simulations, we find that the mass-density estimation error can be as low as a few per cent for typical density variations found in the breast. Example images computed from less-noisy real data are also shown to illustrate the feasibility of the technique. We anticipate that density imaging may have application in assessment of water content of cartilage resulting from osteoarthritis, in evaluation of bone density, and in mammographic interpretation

... sound waves that reflect off body structures. A computer receives these waves and uses them to create ... M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health ...

Full Text Available Abstract Background The finite volume solver Fluent (Lebanon, NH, USA is a computational fluid dynamics software employed to analyse biological mass-transport in the vasculature. A principal consideration for computational modelling of blood-side mass-transport is convection-diffusion discretisation scheme selection. Due to numerous discretisation schemes available when developing a mass-transport numerical model, the results obtained should either be validated against benchmark theoretical solutions or experimentally obtained results. Methods An idealised aneurysm model was selected for the experimental and computationalmass-transport analysis of species concentration due to its well-defined recirculation region within the aneurysmal sac, allowing species concentration to vary slowly with time. The experimental results were obtained from fluid samples extracted from a glass aneurysm model, using the direct spectrophometric concentration measurement technique. The computational analysis was conducted using the four convection-diffusion discretisation schemes available to the Fluent user, including the First-Order Upwind, the Power Law, the Second-Order Upwind and the Quadratic Upstream Interpolation for Convective Kinetics (QUICK schemes. The fluid has a diffusivity of 3.125 × 10-10 m2/s in water, resulting in a Peclet number of 2,560,000, indicating strongly convection-dominated flow. Results The discretisation scheme applied to the solution of the convection-diffusion equation, for blood-side mass-transport within the vasculature, has a significant influence on the resultant species concentration field. The First-Order Upwind and the Power Law schemes produce similar results. The Second-Order Upwind and QUICK schemes also correlate well but differ considerably from the concentration contour plots of the First-Order Upwind and Power Law schemes. The computational results were then compared to the experimental findings. An average error of 140

The finite volume solver Fluent (Lebanon, NH, USA) is a computational fluid dynamics software employed to analyse biological mass-transport in the vasculature. A principal consideration for computational modelling of blood-side mass-transport is convection-diffusion discretisation scheme selection. Due to numerous discretisation schemes available when developing a mass-transport numerical model, the results obtained should either be validated against benchmark theoretical solutions or experimentally obtained results. An idealised aneurysm model was selected for the experimental and computationalmass-transport analysis of species concentration due to its well-defined recirculation region within the aneurysmal sac, allowing species concentration to vary slowly with time. The experimental results were obtained from fluid samples extracted from a glass aneurysm model, using the direct spectrophometric concentration measurement technique. The computational analysis was conducted using the four convection-diffusion discretisation schemes available to the Fluent user, including the First-Order Upwind, the Power Law, the Second-Order Upwind and the Quadratic Upstream Interpolation for Convective Kinetics (QUICK) schemes. The fluid has a diffusivity of 3.125 x 10-10 m2/s in water, resulting in a Peclet number of 2,560,000, indicating strongly convection-dominated flow. The discretisation scheme applied to the solution of the convection-diffusion equation, for blood-side mass-transport within the vasculature, has a significant influence on the resultant species concentration field. The First-Order Upwind and the Power Law schemes produce similar results. The Second-Order Upwind and QUICK schemes also correlate well but differ considerably from the concentration contour plots of the First-Order Upwind and Power Law schemes. The computational results were then compared to the experimental findings. An average error of 140% and 116% was demonstrated between the experimental

Acute abdominal pain is a common clinical condition. Clinical signs and symptoms can be difficult to interpret, and diagnostic imaging may help to identify intra-abdominal disease. Conventional X-ray, ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen vary in usability between common surgical causes of acute abdominal pain. Overall, conventional X-ray cannot confidently diagnose or rule out disease. US and CT are equally trustworthy for most diseases. US with subsequent CT may enhance diagnostic precision. Magnetic resonance seems promising for future use in acute abdominal imaging.

Full Text Available Sarah L Gans,1 Jaap Stoker,2 Marja A Boermeester11Department of Surgery, 2Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsAbstract: Several studies have demonstrated that a diagnosis based solely on a patient’s medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests is not reliable enough, despite the fact that these aspects are essential parts of the workup of a patient presenting with acute abdominal pain. Traditionally, imaging workup starts with abdominal radiography. However, numerous studies have demonstrated low sensitivity and accuracy for plain abdominal radiography in the evaluation of acute abdominal pain as well as various specific diseases such as perforated viscus, bowel obstruction, ingested foreign body, and ureteral stones. Computed tomography, and in particular computed tomography after negative ultrasonography, provides a better workup than plain abdominal radiography alone. The benefits of computed tomography lie in decision-making for management, planning of a surgical strategy, and possibly even avoidance of negative laparotomies. Based on abundant available evidence, major advances in diagnostic imaging, and changes in the management of certain diseases, we can conclude that there is no place for plain abdominal radiography in the workup of adult patients with acute abdominal pain presenting in the emergency department in current practice.Keywords: abdominal x-ray, acute abdomen, acute abdominal pain, emergency department, diagnostic imaging, abdominal radiography

To evaluate the imaging findings of abdominal wall endometriosis. In seven of 17 patients with surgically proven endometriosis of the abdominal wall, we retrospectively reviewed the findings of radiologic studies such as abdominal US (n=3), CT (n=4), and MRI (n=1). One patient under went more than one type of imaging, apparently. The surgical history of the seven, and their symptoms and preoperative diagnosis were reviewed, and the size, location, margin and nature of the mass, and the contrast enhancement patterns observed at radiologic studies, were assessed. The chief symptoms were palpable abdominal wall mass (n=5) and lower abdominal pain (n=2) around a surgical scar. Previous surgery included cesarean section (n=5), cesarean section with oophorectomy (n=1) and appendectomy (n=1). Masses were located in the subcutaneous fat layer (n=5) or rectus abdominis muscle (n=2), and their maximum diameter was 2.6 cm. Imaging findings, which correlated closely with the pathologic findings, included a well (n=5) or poorly marginated (n=2) solid mass, with a focal cystic area apparent in two cases. Although imaging findings of abdominal wall endometriosis may not be specific for diagnosis, the presence of a solid abdominalmass in female patients of reproductive age with a history of surgery is a diagnostic pointer

To evaluate the imaging findings of abdominal wall endometriosis. In seven of 17 patients with surgically proven endometriosis of the abdominal wall, we retrospectively reviewed the findings of radiologic studies such as abdominal US (n=3), CT (n=4), and MRI (n=1). One patient under went more than one type of imaging, apparently. The surgical history of the seven, and their symptoms and preoperative diagnosis were reviewed, and the size, location, margin and nature of the mass, and the contrast enhancement patterns observed at radiologic studies, were assessed. The chief symptoms were palpable abdominal wall mass (n=5) and lower abdominal pain (n=2) around a surgical scar. Previous surgery included cesarean section (n=5), cesarean section with oophorectomy (n=1) and appendectomy (n=1). Masses were located in the subcutaneous fat layer (n=5) or rectus abdominis muscle (n=2), and their maximum diameter was 2.6 cm. Imaging findings, which correlated closely with the pathologic findings, included a well (n=5) or poorly marginated (n=2) solid mass, with a focal cystic area apparent in two cases. Although imaging findings of abdominal wall endometriosis may not be specific for diagnosis, the presence of a solid abdominalmass in female patients of reproductive age with a history of surgery is a diagnostic pointer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to estimate the cost effectiveness of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: All 12,639 men born in the years 1921-1933 (aged 64-73) living in Viborg County, Denmark, were randomly allocated either to receive an invitation...... to abdominal ultrasound scanning for AAA or to be controls. Costs for screening and surveillance were assessed prospectively. Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) costs from 1999 were used concerning admissions with uncomplicated and complicated operations. Admissions for AAA surgery were retrospectively classified...... group (P = 0.003). The costs were estimated to be Euro 11.23 per scan. The costs per life-year saved were Euro 9057 (Euro 5872-20,063) after 5 years, and were expected to decrease to Euro 2708 (Euro 1758-6031) after 10 years and to Euro 1825 (Euro 1185-4063) after 15 years. CONCLUSION: Screening of 64...

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of abdominal surgery on the volume effects of small-bowel toxicity during whole-pelvic irradiation in patients with gynecologic malignancies. Methods and Materials: From May 2003 through November 2006, 80 gynecologic patients without (Group I) or with (Group II) prior abdominal surgery were analyzed. We used a computed tomography (CT) planning system to measure the small-bowel volume and dosimetry. We acquired the range of small-bowel volume in 10% (V10) to 100% (V100) of dose, at 10% intervals. The onset and grade of diarrhea during whole-pelvic irradiation were recorded as small-bowel toxicity up to 39.6 Gy in 22 fractions. Results: The volume effect of Grade 2-3 diarrhea existed from V10 to V100 in Group I patients and from V60 to V100 in Group II patients on univariate analyses. The V40 of Group I and the V100 of Group II achieved most statistical significance. The mean V40 was 281 ± 27 cm 3 and 489 ± 34 cm 3 (p 3 and 132 ± 19 cm 3 (p = 0.003). Multivariate analyses revealed that V40 (p = 0.001) and V100 (p = 0.027) were independent factors for the development of Grade 2-3 diarrhea in Groups I and II, respectively. Conclusions: Gynecologic patients without and with abdominal surgery have different volume effects on small-bowel toxicity during whole-pelvic irradiation. Low-dose volume can be used as a predictive index of Grade 2 or greater diarrhea in patients without abdominal surgery. Full-dose volume is more important than low-dose volume for Grade 2 or greater diarrhea in patients with abdominal surgery

The program SOFTSUSY can calculate tree-level neutrino masses in the R-parity violating minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) with real couplings. At tree-level, only one neutrino acquires a mass, in contradiction with neutrino oscillation data. Here, we describe an extension to the SOFTSUSY program which includes one-loop R-parity violating effects' contributions to neutrino masses and mixing. Including the one-loop effects refines the radiative electroweak symmetry breaking calculation, and may result in up to three massive, mixed neutrinos. This paper serves as a manual to the neutrino mass prediction mode of the program, detailing the approximations and conventions used. Program summaryProgram title: SOFTSUSY Catalogue identifier: ADPM_v3_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/ADPM_v3_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: GNU General Public License version 3 No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 93 291 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 1 288 618 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: C++, Fortran Computer: Personal computer Operating system: Tested on Linux 4.x Word size: 32 bits Classification: 11.1, 11.6 Catalogue identifier of previous version: ADPM_v2_0 Journal reference of previous version: Comput. Phys. Comm. 181 (2010) 232 Does the new version supersede the previous version?: Yes Nature of problem: Calculation of neutrino masses and the neutrino mixing matrix at one-loop level in the R-parity violating minimal supersymmetric standard model. The solution to the renormalisation group equations must be consistent with a high or weak-scale boundary condition on supersymmetry breaking parameters and R-parity violating parameters, as well as a weak-scale boundary condition on gauge couplings, Yukawa couplings and the Higgs potential parameters. Solution method: Nested iterative algorithm

Mass estimates of galaxy clusters from X-ray and Sunyeav-Zel'dovich observations assume the intracluster gas is in hydrostatic equilibrium with their gravitational potential. However, since galaxy clusters are dynamically active objects whose dynamical states can deviate significantly from the equilibrium configuration, the departure from the hydrostatic equilibrium assumption is one of the largest sources of systematic uncertainties in cluster cosmology. In the literature there have been two methods for computing the hydrostatic mass bias based on the Euler and the modified Jeans equations, respectively, and there has been some confusion about the validity of these two methods. The word 'Jeans' was a misnomer, which incorrectly implies that the gas is collisionless. To avoid further confusion, we instead refer these methods as 'summation' and 'averaging' methods respectively. In this work, we show that these two methods for computing the hydrostatic mass bias are equivalent by demonstrating that the equation used in the second method can be derived from taking spatial averages of the Euler equation. Specifically, we identify the correspondences of individual terms in these two methods mathematically and show that these correspondences are valid to within a few percent level using hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy cluster formation. In addition, we compute the mass bias associated with the acceleration of gas and show that its contribution is small in the virialized regions in the interior of galaxy clusters, but becomes non-negligible in the outskirts of massive galaxy clusters. We discuss future prospects of understanding and characterizing biases in the mass estimate of galaxy clusters using both hydrodynamical simulations and observations and their implications for cluster cosmology.

A portable, remote-controlled mass spectrometer was required at the Nevada Test Site to analyze prompt post-event gas from the nuclear cavity in support of the underground testing program. A Balzers QMG-511 quadrupole was chosen for its ability to be interfaced to a DEC LSI-11 computer and to withstand the ground movement caused by this field environment. The inlet system valves, the pumps, the pressure and temperature transducers, and the quadrupole mass spectrometer are controlled by a read-only-memory-based DEC LSI-11/2 with a high-speed microwave link to the control point which is typically 30 miles away. The computer at the control point is a DEC LSI-11/23 running the RSX-11 operating system. The instrument was automated as much as possible because the system is run by inexperienced operators at times. The mass spectrometer has been used on an initial field event with excellent performance. The gas analysis system is described, including automation by a novel computer control method which reduces operator errors and allows dynamic access to the system parameters

High-throughput, MS-based proteomics studies are generating very large volumes of biologically relevant data. Given the central role of proteomics in emerging fields such as system/synthetic biology and biomarker discovery, the amount of proteomic data is expected to grow at unprecedented rates over the next decades. At the moment, there is pressing need for high-performance computational solutions to accelerate the analysis and interpretation of this data.Performance gains achieved by grid computing in this area are not spectacular, especially given the significant power consumption, maintenance costs and floor space required by large server farms.This paper introduces an alternative, cost-effective high-performance bioinformatics solution for peptide mass fingerprinting based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices. At the heart of this approach stands the concept of mapping algorithms on custom digital hardware that can be programmed to run on FPGA. Specifically in this case, the entire computational flow associated with peptide mass fingerprinting, namely raw mass spectra processing and database searching, has been mapped on custom hardware processors that are programmed to run on a multi-FPGA system coupled with a conventional PC server. The system achieves an almost 2,000-fold speed-up when compared with a conventional implementation of the algorithms in software running on a 3.06 GHz Xeon PC server.

Full Text Available Perforation of the inflamed diverticula is a common diverticulitis complication. It usually leads to the formation of a local abscess. In some rare cases, the inflammatory process may spread towards extra-abdominal sites like the anterior or posterior abdominal wall or the thigh and form an abscess in these sites. We present the case of a 73-year-old man with a history of pain at the lower left quadrant of the abdomen for 20 days and a visible mass in this site. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed this mass to be an abscess of the abdominal wall which had been formed by the spread of ruptured sigmoid diverticulitis by continuity of tissue through the lower left abdominal wall. Local drainage of the abscess was performed and the patient was discharged after alleviation of symptoms and an uneventful course. We also discuss causes of abdominal wall abscesses along with the possible pathways by which an intra-abdominal abscess could spread outside the abdominal cavity.

15 patients with asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysms were evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging. The results were compared to the sonographic findings in 12, the computed tomographic in 14 and the angiographic findings in 14 cases. 14 patients were operated and the diagnostic results were verified. The advantage of MRI in comparison with the other diagnostic methods is the visualization of an infrarenal segment on the coronal images, which can be anastomized with the vascular prothesis. The evidence of this segment is important to know for the vascular surgeon to plan the operation technique. The disadvantage of MRI ist that thrombotic material and arterosclerotic plaques were bad or not visualized. We try to estimate, which importance the MRI will get in further times in the preoperative diagnosis of abdominal aortic aneurysms. (orig.).

Full Text Available Objective To describe the technique of computed tomography-guided percutaneous biopsy of pancreatic tumors with pneumodissection. Materials and Methods In the period from June 2011 to May 2012, seven computed tomography-guided percutaneous biopsies of pancreatic tumors utilizing pneumodissection were performed in the authors' institution. All the procedures were performed with an automatic biopsy gun and coaxial system with Tru-core needles. The biopsy specimens were histologically assessed. Results In all the cases the pancreatic mass could not be directly approached by computed tomography without passing through major organs and structures. The injection of air allowed the displacement of adjacent structures and creation of a safe coaxial needle pathway toward the lesion. Biopsy was successfully performed in all the cases, yielding appropriate specimens for pathological analysis. Conclusion Pneumodissection is a safe, inexpensive and technically easy approach to perform percutaneous biopsy in selected cases where direct access to the pancreatic tumor is not feasible.

Objective: to describe the technique of computed tomography-guided percutaneous biopsy of pancreatic tumors with pneumodissection. Materials and methods: in the period from June 2011 to May 2012, seven computed tomography guided percutaneous biopsies of pancreatic tumors utilizing pneumodissection were performed in the authors' institution. All the procedures were performed with an automatic biopsy gun and coaxial system with Tru-core needles. The biopsy specimens were histologically assessed. Results: in all the cases the pancreatic mass could not be directly approached by computed tomography without passing through major organs and structures. The injection of air allowed the displacement of adjacent structures and creation of a safe coaxial needle pathway toward the lesion. Biopsy was successfully performed in all the cases, yielding appropriate specimens for pathological analysis. Conclusion: Pneumodissection is a safe, inexpensive and technically easy approach to perform percutaneous biopsy in selected cases where direct access to the pancreatic tumor is not feasible. (author)

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate computer-extracted features for characterizing mammographic mass margins according to BI-RADS spiculated and circumscribed categories. The mass was automatically segmented using an active contour model. A spiculation measure for a pixel on the mass boundary was defined by using the angular difference between the image gradient vector and the normal to the mass, averaged over pixels in a spiculation search region. For the circumscribed margin feature, the angular difference between the principal eigenvector of the Hessian matrix and the normal to the mass was estimated in a band of pixels centered at each point on the boundary, and the feature was extracted from the resulting profile along the boundary. Three MQSA radiologists provided BI-RADS margin ratings for a data set of 198 regions of interest containing breast masses. The features were evaluated with respect to the individual radiologists' characterization using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, as well as with respect to that from the majority rule, in which a mass was labeled as spiculated (circumscribed) if it was characterized as such by 2 or 3 radiologists, and non-spiculated (non-circumscribed) otherwise. We also investigated the performance of the features for consensus masses, defined as those labeled as spiculated (circumscribed) or nonspiculated (non-circumscribed) by all three radiologists. When masses were labeled according to radiologists R1, R2, and R3 individually, the spiculation feature had an area A z under the ROC curve of 0.90+/-0.04, 0.90+/-0.03, 0.88+/-0.03, respectively, while the circumscribed margin feature had an A z value of 0.77+/-0.04, 0.74+/-0.04, and 0.80+/-0.03, respectively. When masses were labeled according to the majority rule, the A z values for the spiculation and the circumscribed margin features were 0.92+/-0.03 and 0.80+/-+/-0.03, respectively. When only the consensus masses were considered, the A z

Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To determine the value of anterior displacement of the abdominal aorta, when present at any level or only at the level of the adrenal gland, contralateral to the mass, in diagnosing neuroblastoma on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging in children up to 7 years of age. Materials and Methods: Imaging examinations of 66 patients were classified by consensus as for the presence of anterior aorta displacement and were compared with the pathology report. Results: We found anterior abdominal aorta displacement in 26 (39.39% of the 66 patients evaluated. Among those 26 patients, we identified neuroblastoma in 22 (84.62%, nephroblastoma in 3 (11.54%, and Burkitt lymphoma in 1 (3.85%. The positive predictive value was 84.62%, and the specificity was 88.24%. The displacement of the aorta was at the adrenal level, contralateral to the mass, in 14 cases, all of which were attributed to neuroblastoma. Conclusion: When the abdominal aorta is displaced at the level of the adrenal gland, contralateral to the mass, it can be said that the diagnosis is neuroblastoma, whereas abdominal aorta displacement occurring at other abdominal levels has a positive predictive value for neuroblastoma of approximately 85%.

Objective: To determine the value of anterior displacement of the abdominal aorta, when present at any level or only at the level of the adrenal gland, contralateral to the mass, in diagnosing neuroblastoma on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging in children up to 7 years of age. Materials and Methods: Imaging examinations of 66 patients were classified by consensus as for the presence of anterior aorta displacement and were compared with the pathology report. Results: We found anterior abdominal aorta displacement in 26 (39.39%) of the 66 patients evaluated. Among those 26 patients, we identified neuroblastoma in 22 (84.62%), nephroblastoma in 3 (11.54%), and Burkitt lymphoma in 1 (3.85%). The positive predictive value was 84.62%, and the specificity was 88.24%. The displacement of the aorta was at the adrenal level, contralateral to the mass, in 14 cases, all of which were attributed to neuroblastoma. Conclusion: When the abdominal aorta is displaced at the level of the adrenal gland, contralateral to the mass, it can be said that the diagnosis is neuroblastoma, whereas abdominal aorta displacement occurring at other abdominal levels has a positive predictive value for neuroblastoma of approximately 85%. (author)

Context Depression has been hypothesized to result in abdominal obesity through the accumulation of visceral fat. No large study has tested this hypothesis longitudinally. Objective To examine whether depressive symptoms predict an increase in abdominal obesity in a large population-based sample of well-functioning older persons. Design The Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study, an ongoing prospective cohort study, with 5 years of follow-up. Setting Community-dwelling older persons residing in the areas surrounding Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Memphis, Tennessee. Participants 2088 well-functioning white and black persons aged 70–79 years. Main Outcome Measures Baseline depression was defined as a Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) score of ≥ 16. At baseline and after 5 years, overall obesity measures included body mass index and percent body fat (measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry). Abdominal obesity measures included waist circumference, sagittal diameter, and visceral fat (measured by computed tomography). Results After adjustment for sociodemographics, lifestyle, diseases and overall obesity, baseline depression was associated with a 5-year increase in sagittal diameter (β=.054, p=.01) and visceral fat (β=.080, p=.001). Conclusions This study shows that depressive symptoms result in an increase in abdominal obesity, independent of overall obesity, suggesting that there may be specific pathophysiological mechanisms which link depression with visceral fat accumulation. These results might also help explain why depression increases risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. PMID:19047525

Objective: To evaluate abdominal imaging in AIDS. Methods: The imaging examinations (including US, CT and MR) of 6 patients with AIDS associated abdominal foci were analysed retrospectively. All the cases were performed US, and CT scan, of which 4 performed enhanced CT scan and 1 with MR. Results: Abdominal tuberculosis were found in 4 patients, including abdominal lymph nodes tuberculosis (3 cases) and pancreatic tuberculosis (1 case). The imaging of lymph nodes tuberculosis typically showed enlarged peripheral tim enhancement with central low-attenuation on contrast-enhanced CT. Pancreatic tuberculosis demonstrated low-attenuation area in pancreatic head and slightly peripheral enhancement. Disseminated Kaposi's sarcoma was seen in 1 case: CT and MRI scan demonstrated tumour infiltrated along hepatic portal vein and bronchovascular bundles. Pelvic tumor was observed in 1 case: CT scan showed large mass with thick and irregular wall and central low attenuation liquefacient necrotic area in the pelvic cavity. Conclusion: The imaging findings of AIDS with abdominal foci is extraordinarily helpful to the diagnosis of such disease. Tissue biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis. (authors)

Porous aggregate grains are commonly found in cometary dust samples and are needed to model cometary IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs). Models for thermal emissions from comets require two forms of silicates: amorphous and crystalline. The dominant crystal resonances observed in comet SEDs are from Forsterite (Mg2SiO4). The mass fractions that are crystalline span a large range from 0.0 25 AU at 1E6 yr) by inner disk materials (crystals) are challenged to yield the highend-range of cometary crystal mass fractions. However, in current thermal models, Forsterite crystals are not incorporated into larger aggregate grains but instead only are considered as discrete crystals. A complicating factor is that Forsterite crystals with rectangular shapes better fit the observed spectral resonances in wavelength (11.0-11.15 microns, 16, 19, 23.5, 27, and 33 microns), feature asymmetry and relative height (Lindley et al. 2013) than spherically or elliptically shaped crystals. We present DDA-DDSCAT computations of IR absorptivities (Qabs) of 3 micron-radii porous aggregates with 0.13 crystals. We can produce crystal resonances with similar appearance to the observed resonances of comet Hale- Bopp. Also, a lower mass fraction of crystals in aggregates can produce the same spectral contrast as a higher mass fraction of discrete crystals; the 11micron and 23 micron crystalline resonances appear amplified when crystals are incorporated into aggregates composed otherwise of spherically shaped amorphous Fe-Mg olivines and pyroxenes. We show that the optical properties of a porous aggregate is not linear combination of its monomers, so aggregates need to be computed. We discuss the consequence of lowering comet crystal mass fractions by modeling IR SEDs with aggregates with crystals, and the implications for radial transport models of our protoplanetary disk.

The authors report three cases of intraabdominal foreign bodies on different stages of evolution diagnosed by computed tomography. A discussion of the most characteristic findings observed on conventional radiology, ultrasonography and computed tomography and a review of the literature are also presented. (author)

A totally computer-controlled triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (TQMS) is described. It has a number of unique features not available on current commercial instruments, including: complete computer control of source and all ion axial potentials; use of dual computers for data acquisition and data processing; and capability for self-adaptive control of experiments. Furthermore, it has been possible to produce this instrument at a cost significantly below that of commercial instruments. This triple quadrupole mass spectrometer has been constructed using components commercially available from several different manufacturers. The source is a standard Hewlett-Packard 5985B GC/MS source. The two quadrupole analyzers and the quadrupole CAD region contain Balzers QMA 150 rods with Balzers QMG 511 rf controllers for the analyzers and a Balzers QHS-511 controller for the CAD region. The pulsed-positive-ion-negative-ion-chemical ionization (PPINICI) detector is made by Finnigan Corporation. The mechanical and electronics design were developed at LLNL for linking these diverse elements into a functional TQMS as described. The computer design for total control of the system is unique in that two separate LSI-11/23 minicomputers and assorted I/O peripherals and interfaces from several manufacturers are used. The evolution of this design concept from totally computer-controlled instrumentation into future self-adaptive or ''expert'' systems for instrumental analysis is described. Operational characteristics of the instrument and initial results from experiments involving the analysis of the high explosive HMX (1,3,5,7-Tetranitro-1,3,5,7-Tetrazacyclooctane) are presented

Aluminium was evaluated as a reference substance in the assessment of rabbit cortical bone by microradiography followed by videodensitometry. Ten dense, cortical-bone specimens from the same tibia diaphysis were microradiographed using prefiltered 27 kV roentgen radiation together with aluminium step wedges and bone simulating phantoms for calibration. Optimally exposed and processed plates were analysed by previously described computer-assisted videodensitometry. For comparison, the specimens were analysed by physico-chemical methods. A strict proportionality was found between the 'aluminium equivalent mass' and the ash weight of the specimens. The total random error was low with a coefficient of variation within 1.5 per cent. It was concluded that aluminium is an appropriate reference material in the determination of cortical bone, which it resembles in effective atomic number and thus X-ray attenuation characteristics. The 'aluminium equivalent mass' is suitably established as the standard of expressing the results of bone assessment by microradiography. (orig.)

The goal of this research was to optimize performance of a Computer-Aided Diagnostic system to identify, analyze and compare breast masses based on parameters measured in the ultrasound image. We compared case-based reasoning using Relative Similarity to an Artificial Neural Network in order to implement an objective form of the ACR BIRADS scheme to describe and score breast masses. The image feature set was reduced to nine including margins, shape, echogenicity, echo texture, orientation and posterior acoustic attenuation. Both classifiers performed well with a high ROC AZ although RS performed significantly better than the ANN in Specificity, PPV and achieved the goal of very high Specificity without a reduction in Sensitivity. Compared to a preliminary version of the RS classifier this optimized version of RS has significantly higher AZ (0.96 vs. 0.93)

Full Text Available The development of a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD system for differentiation between benign and malignant mammographic masses is a challenging task due to the use of extensive pre- and post-processing steps and ineffective features set. In this paper, a novel CAD system is proposed called DeepCAD, which uses four phases to overcome these problems. The speed-up robust features (SURF and local binary pattern variance (LBPV descriptors are extracted from each mass. These descriptors are then transformed into invariant features. Afterwards, the deep invariant features (DIFs are constructed in supervised and unsupervised fashion through multilayer deep-learning architecture. A fine-tuning step is integrated to determine the features, and the final decision is performed via softmax linear classifier. To evaluate this DeepCAD system, a dataset of 600 region-of-interest (ROI masses including 300 benign and 300 malignant masses was obtained from two publicly available data sources. The performance of DeepCAD system is compared with the state-of-the-art methods in terms of area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUC curve. The difference between AUC of DeepCAD and other methods is statistically significant, as it demonstrates a sensitivity (SN of 92%, specificity (SP of 84.2%, accuracy (ACC of 91.5% and AUC of 0.91. The experimental results indicate that the proposed DeepCAD system is reliable for providing aid to radiologists without the need for explicit design.

A computational method has been developed to predict the effect of mass transfer on liquid jet break-up in coaxial, low velocity gas streams. Two conditions, both with and without the effect of mass transfer on the jet break-up, are calculated, and compared with experimental results and the classical linear theory. Methanol and water were used as the injectants. The numerical solution can predict the instantaneous shape of the jet surface and the break-up time, and it is very close to the experimental results. The numerical solutions and the experimental results both indicate that the wave number of the maximum instability is about 6.9, higher than 4.51 which was predicted by Rayleigh's linear theory. The experimental results and numerical solution show that the growth of the amplitude of the trough is faster than the growth of the amplitude of the crest, especially for a rapidly vaporizing jet. The numerical solutions show that for the small rates of evaporation, the effect of the mass transfer on the interface has a stabilizing effect near the wave number for maximum instability. Inversely, it has a destabilizing effect far from the wave number for maximum instability. For rapid evaporation, the effect of the mass transfer always has a destabilizing effect and decreases the break-up time of the jet.

In the classical physics we inherited from Isaac Newton, mass does not arise, it simply is. The mass of a classical object is the sum of the masses of its parts. Albert Einstein showed that the mass of a body is a measure of its energy content, inviting us to consider the origins of mass. The protons we accelerate at Fermilab are prime examples of Einsteinian matter: nearly all of their mass arises from stored energy. Missing mass led to the discovery of the noble gases, and a new form of missing mass leads us to the notion of dark matter. Starting with a brief guided tour of the meanings of mass, the colloquium will explore the multiple origins of mass. We will see how far we have come toward understanding mass, and survey the issues that guide our research today.

In this work we compute the one-nucleon-induced nonmesonic hypernuclear decay rates of Λ 5 He, Λ 12 C and Λ 13 C using a formalism based on the independent particle shell model in terms of laboratory coordinates. To ascertain the correctness and precision of the method, these results are compared with those obtained using a formalism in terms of center-of-mass coordinates, which has been previously reported in the literature. The formalism in terms of laboratory coordinates will be useful in the shell-model approach to two-nucleon-induced transitions

Full Text Available ... accurate. In emergency cases, it can reveal internal injuries and bleeding quickly enough to help save lives. ... kidney and bladder stones. abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), injuries to abdominal organs such as the spleen, liver, ...

Full Text Available ... pancreas, ovaries and bladder as well as lymphoma. kidney and bladder stones. abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), injuries to abdominal organs such as the spleen, liver, kidneys or other internal organs in cases of trauma. ...

The problem that we investigate in the present paper Is the improvement of the analysis of the primary tumor mass, in patients with advanced neuroblastoma, using X-ray computed tomography (CT) exams...

Lower quadrant abdominal pain is a common complaint evaluated in emergency departments (EDs). The number of differential diagnoses is lowered when the pain in a male patient is associated with a palpable tender mass. These diagnoses include inguinal hernia, inflamed inguinal lymph node, rectus sheath hematoma, cryptorchidism, mass derived from the spermatic cord, and polyorchidism. We report a case of extra scrotal spermatocele causing lower quadrant abdominal pain that was misdiagnosed as an inguinal hernia on several ED visits. Lower quadrant mass and pain caused by a spermatocele are unusual conditions. Upon the patient's third (ED) visit, the painful mass remained located in his right lower quadrant. The lower quadrant mass was movable on palpation and with pressure could be delivered into the superior aspect of the scrotum. The patient had an abdominal and pelvic computed tomography scan and lower quadrant ultrasound. The imaging studies revealed the mass to be a cystic structure. Surgical excision confirmed that the mass was a spermatocele. Differential diagnoses, diagnostic approaches, and treatment are discussed.

Typical automotive related abdominal injuries occur due to contact with the rim of the steering wheel, seatbelt and armrest, however, the rate is less than in other body regions. When solid abdominal organs, such as the liver, kidneys and spleen are involved, the injury severity tends to be higher. Although sled and pendulum impact tests have been conducted using cadavers and animals, the mechanical properties and the tissue level injury tolerance of abdominal solid organs are not well characterized. These data are needed in the development of computer models, the improvement of current anthropometric test devices and the enhancement of our understanding of abdominal injury mechanisms. In this study, a series of experimental tests on solid abdominal organs was conducted using porcine liver, kidney and spleen specimens. Additionally, the injury tolerance of the solid organs was deduced from the experimental data.

Body mass reconstructions of extinct vertebrates are most robust when complete to near-complete skeletons allow the reconstruction of either physical or digital models. Digital models are most efficient in terms of time and cost, and provide the facility to infinitely modify model properties non-destructively, such that sensitivity analyses can be conducted to quantify the effect of the many unknown parameters involved in reconstructions of extinct animals. In this study we use laser scanning (LiDAR) and computer modelling methods to create a range of 3D mass models of five specimens of non-avian dinosaur; two near-complete specimens of Tyrannosaurus rex, the most complete specimens of Acrocanthosaurus atokensis and Strutiomimum sedens, and a near-complete skeleton of a sub-adult Edmontosaurus annectens. LiDAR scanning allows a full mounted skeleton to be imaged resulting in a detailed 3D model in which each bone retains its spatial position and articulation. This provides a high resolution skeletal framework around which the body cavity and internal organs such as lungs and air sacs can be reconstructed. This has allowed calculation of body segment masses, centres of mass and moments or inertia for each animal. However, any soft tissue reconstruction of an extinct taxon inevitably represents a best estimate model with an unknown level of accuracy. We have therefore conducted an extensive sensitivity analysis in which the volumes of body segments and respiratory organs were varied in an attempt to constrain the likely maximum plausible range of mass parameters for each animal. Our results provide wide ranges in actual mass and inertial values, emphasizing the high level of uncertainty inevitable in such reconstructions. However, our sensitivity analysis consistently places the centre of mass well below and in front of hip joint in each animal, regardless of the chosen combination of body and respiratory structure volumes. These results emphasize that future

Full Text Available Body mass reconstructions of extinct vertebrates are most robust when complete to near-complete skeletons allow the reconstruction of either physical or digital models. Digital models are most efficient in terms of time and cost, and provide the facility to infinitely modify model properties non-destructively, such that sensitivity analyses can be conducted to quantify the effect of the many unknown parameters involved in reconstructions of extinct animals. In this study we use laser scanning (LiDAR and computer modelling methods to create a range of 3D mass models of five specimens of non-avian dinosaur; two near-complete specimens of Tyrannosaurus rex, the most complete specimens of Acrocanthosaurus atokensis and Strutiomimum sedens, and a near-complete skeleton of a sub-adult Edmontosaurus annectens. LiDAR scanning allows a full mounted skeleton to be imaged resulting in a detailed 3D model in which each bone retains its spatial position and articulation. This provides a high resolution skeletal framework around which the body cavity and internal organs such as lungs and air sacs can be reconstructed. This has allowed calculation of body segment masses, centres of mass and moments or inertia for each animal. However, any soft tissue reconstruction of an extinct taxon inevitably represents a best estimate model with an unknown level of accuracy. We have therefore conducted an extensive sensitivity analysis in which the volumes of body segments and respiratory organs were varied in an attempt to constrain the likely maximum plausible range of mass parameters for each animal. Our results provide wide ranges in actual mass and inertial values, emphasizing the high level of uncertainty inevitable in such reconstructions. However, our sensitivity analysis consistently places the centre of mass well below and in front of hip joint in each animal, regardless of the chosen combination of body and respiratory structure volumes. These results emphasize

Body mass reconstructions of extinct vertebrates are most robust when complete to near-complete skeletons allow the reconstruction of either physical or digital models. Digital models are most efficient in terms of time and cost, and provide the facility to infinitely modify model properties non-destructively, such that sensitivity analyses can be conducted to quantify the effect of the many unknown parameters involved in reconstructions of extinct animals. In this study we use laser scanning (LiDAR) and computer modelling methods to create a range of 3D mass models of five specimens of non-avian dinosaur; two near-complete specimens of Tyrannosaurus rex, the most complete specimens of Acrocanthosaurus atokensis and Strutiomimum sedens, and a near-complete skeleton of a sub-adult Edmontosaurus annectens. LiDAR scanning allows a full mounted skeleton to be imaged resulting in a detailed 3D model in which each bone retains its spatial position and articulation. This provides a high resolution skeletal framework around which the body cavity and internal organs such as lungs and air sacs can be reconstructed. This has allowed calculation of body segment masses, centres of mass and moments or inertia for each animal. However, any soft tissue reconstruction of an extinct taxon inevitably represents a best estimate model with an unknown level of accuracy. We have therefore conducted an extensive sensitivity analysis in which the volumes of body segments and respiratory organs were varied in an attempt to constrain the likely maximum plausible range of mass parameters for each animal. Our results provide wide ranges in actual mass and inertial values, emphasizing the high level of uncertainty inevitable in such reconstructions. However, our sensitivity analysis consistently places the centre of mass well below and in front of hip joint in each animal, regardless of the chosen combination of body and respiratory structure volumes. These results emphasize that future

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Determinar a associação entre índice de massa corporal (IMC e circunferência abdominal (CA com fatores de risco para doenças cardiovasculares. MÉTODOS: Estudou-se 231 servidores da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, sendo 54,1% do sexo masculino (21-76 anos. Analisou-se glicemia de jejum, colesterol total e frações, triglicérides, pressão arterial, IMC, CA, relação cintura-quadril e percentual de gordura corporal. Informações sobre tabagismo, ingestão de bebidas alcoólicas e atividade física também foram obtidas. RESULTADOS: As freqüências de sobrepeso/obesidade foram bastante elevadas, principalmente em mulheres. A obesidade abdominal foi observada em 74% das mulheres e 46,1% dos homens. Os homens apresentaram valores médios e medianos de colesterol total, HDL, triglicérides, IMC e percentual de gordura corporal maiores do que as mulheres (pOBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between cardiovascular risk factors and the anthropometric values - body mass index (BMI and waist circumference (WC. METHODS: It was studied 231 employees of Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil, 54,1% of them were men (21-76 years old. Glycemia, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, blood pressure, BMI, WC, waist-to-hip ratio and body fatness were measured. It was also investigated smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight/obesity in this population was high mainly in women. The abdominal obesity was observed in 74% of the women and 46,1% of the men. The average of BMI, body fatness, total cholesterol, HDL and triglycerides were significantly higher in men than in women. (p < 0,05. The sedentary lifestyle was a risk factor for obesity. Smoking and alcohol consumption were more common among men and normal weight volunteers. Most of the correlations between anthropometric indices and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases were significant, but weak and the WC was the index that had

In computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) research, feature selection methods are often used to improve generalization performance of classifiers and shorten computation times. In an application that detects malignant masses in mammograms, we investigated the effect of using a selection criterion that is similar to the final performance measure we are optimizing, namely the mean sensitivity of the system in a predefined range of the free-response receiver operating characteristics (FROC). To obtain the generalization performance of the selected feature subsets, a cross validation procedure was performed on a dataset containing 351 abnormal and 7879 normal regions, each region providing a set of 71 mass features. The same number of noise features, not containing any information, were added to investigate the ability of the feature selection algorithms to distinguish between useful and non-useful features. It was found that significantly higher performances were obtained using feature sets selected by the general test statistic Wilks' lambda than using feature sets selected by the more specific FROC measure. Feature selection leads to better performance when compared to a system in which all features were used.

Diseases of abnormal appendages are rare causes of abdominal pain in all age groups. Nine patients with torsion and infraction of abdominal appendages were retrospectively reviewed. Four patients had torsion and infarction of the appendices epiploicae, four patients had torsion and infarction of the falciform ligament. The patient with falciform ligament disease represents the first reported case of primary torsion and infarction of the falciform ligament, and the patient with the transverse colon epiplocia represents the first reported case of vibration-induced appendix epiplocia torsion and infarction. The patient with the falciform ligament disease presented with a tender upper abdominalmass and the remaining patients were operated upon with the preoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis. The presence of normal appendix with free serosanguinous fluid in the peritoneal cavity should raise the possibility of a disease and calls for further evaluation of the intra-abdominal organs. If the diagnosis is suspected preoperatively, CT scan and ultrasound may lead to a correct diagnosis and possibly conservative management. Laparoscopy is playing an increasing diagnostic and therapeutic role in such situations. (author)

Purpose: To improve the performance of a computer-aided detection (CAD) system for mass detection by using four-view information in screening mammography. Methods: The authors developed a four-view CAD system that emulates radiologists' reading by using the craniocaudal and mediolateral oblique views of the ipsilateral breast to reduce false positives (FPs) and the corresponding views of the contralateral breast to detect asymmetry. The CAD system consists of four major components: (1) Initial detection of breast masses on individual views, (2) information fusion of the ipsilateral views of the breast (referred to as two-view analysis), (3) information fusion of the corresponding views of the contralateral breast (referred to as bilateral analysis), and (4) fusion of the four-view information with a decision tree. The authors collected two data sets for training and testing of the CAD system: A mass set containing 389 patients with 389 biopsy-proven masses and a normal set containing 200 normal subjects. All cases had four-view mammograms. The true locations of the masses on the mammograms were identified by an experienced MQSA radiologist. The authors randomly divided the mass set into two independent sets for cross validation training and testing. The overall test performance was assessed by averaging the free response receiver operating characteristic (FROC) curves of the two test subsets. The FP rates during the FROC analysis were estimated by using the normal set only. The jackknife free-response ROC (JAFROC) method was used to estimate the statistical significance of the difference between the test FROC curves obtained with the single-view and the four-view CAD systems. Results: Using the single-view CAD system, the breast-based test sensitivities were 58% and 77% at the FP rates of 0.5 and 1.0 per image, respectively. With the four-view CAD system, the breast-based test sensitivities were improved to 76% and 87% at the corresponding FP rates, respectively

After conducting the intensive research on the distribution of fluid's velocity and biochemical reactions in the membrane bioreactor (MBR), this paper introduces the use of the mass-transfer differential equation to simulate the distribution of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration in MBR membrane pool. The solutions are as follows: first, use computational fluid dynamics to establish a flow control equation model of the fluid in MBR membrane pool; second, calculate this model by adopting direct numerical simulation to get the velocity field of the fluid in membrane pool; third, combine the data of velocity field to establish mass-transfer differential equation model for the concentration field in MBR membrane pool, and use Seidel iteration method to solve the equation model; last but not least, substitute the real factory data into the velocity and concentration field model to calculate simulation results, and use visualization software Tecplot to display the results. Finally by analyzing the nephogram of COD concentration distribution, it can be found that the simulation result conforms the distribution rule of the COD's concentration in real membrane pool, and the mass-transfer phenomenon can be affected by the velocity field of the fluid in membrane pool. The simulation results of this paper have certain reference value for the design optimization of the real MBR system.

Because of the radiation dose in computed tomography (CT) is relatively high, it is important to have an estimate of the dose to which the patient is submitted, considering parameters and correction factors, so that the value is closer to the real. The objective of this study is to relate the estimated dose in patients undergoing abdominal CT with BMI (Body Mass Index) groups, considering the specific size of the anatomical region. The work developed in a hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil, using 16 Siemens Somatom Emotion equipment. We selected 30 adult that underwent to CT of the abdomen in January 2014. Of these, 13 using dose reduction mechanism (Care Dose), (Sample 1) and the rest without this mechanism (Sample 2). Registered weight, height, CTDI{sub vol} (Computed Tomography Dose Index) and anteroposterior and lateral diameter at the umbilicus. BMI and the correction factor for the dose estimates were calculated, according to the specific size of the abdomen. It was determined the percentage change between the CTDI{sub vol} values provided by CT and the value of CTDI{sub vol} after application of the correction factor, plus the average percentage change for each BMI group. The mean percentage change was between 54% and 19% for sample 1 and between 35% and 10% for sample 2, the lowest to highest BMI group. There was a reduction in the medium average percent with the increasing of the BMI groups in both samples. A larger sample of individuals for verification of results is required.

The occurrence of traumatic abdominal wall hernia secondary to blunt trauma is uncommon, and laparoscopic repair of such hernias is very rare. A 53-year-old man, who had sustained injuries to his right thigh and right abdomen 8 months previously, visited a hospital because of a bulge in the right lateral abdomen. An abdominalcomputed tomography scan revealed a rupture in the lateral abdominal muscle and herniation of the cecum into the subcutaneous space. Accordingly, delayed traumatic abdominal wall hernia was diagnosed, which was successfully repaired laparoscopically. Thus, a laparoscopic tension-free mesh repair was safely and effectively performed for delayed traumatic abdominal wall hernia.

Water flow in rock joints provides a very important possible route for the migration of radio-nuclides from radio-active waste within a repository back to the biosphere. Two computer programs DAPHNE and FPM have been developed to model two dimensional fluid flow in jointed rock masses. They have been developed to run on microcomputer systems suitable for field locations. The fluid flows in a number of jointed rock systems have been examined and certain controlling functions identified. A methodology has been developed for assessing the anisotropic permeability of jointed rock. A number of examples of unconfined flow into surface and underground openings have been analysed and ground water lowering, pore water pressures and flow quantities predicted. (author)

The article describes the actuality of conducting mass prophylactic examination of the population. It is noted that the thermography method is absolutely harmless for patients and service staff. Besides, it is pointed out that the recognition of various types of pathology of medical-biological objects is complicated. With the aim of reaching high certainty of the results of thermographic analysis it is suggested we use the concept of computer-aided thermodiagnostics which is practically based on complete automation and on combination of principles of probability multiparametry and artificial intellect. It is noted that the suggested concept is carried out on the basis of practical utilization of the automated system of dynamic thermography oriented on revealing tumor disease of the mammary gland. The examples are given to show this system functioning.

We evaluated the concordance between visceral fat area (VFA) estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) or computed tomography (CT) in Korean subjects with a wide range in age and body mass index (BMI). In 1006 individuals (mean age 55.2 ± 11.8 (19-87) years, mean BMI 26.0 ± 3.5 (17-46) kg/m², 48.9% men), VFA quantified by CT was compared with VFA using multifrequency BIA machines within 15 days. Concordance rates were compared by age or BMI using correlation analysis, Bland-Altman plots, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Using BIA data, we established a regression formula to reflect CT-VFA. The mean VFAs by CT and BIA were 131.9 ± 57.3 cm² and 110.5 ± 33.9 cm², respectively (r = 0.605, p < 0.001). The mean difference was 21.4 ± 45.6 cm², tending to increase with BMI. In women with BMI <25 kg/m² or age <50 years, the VFAs by BIA were similar to those by CT (ICC = 0.496 in BMI <25 kg/m² and ICC = 0.638 in age <50 years). However, the difference was greater in men with BMI ≥25 kg/m² or age ≥50 years. Applying our formula, the difference between estimations decreased to 0.2 ± 38.2cm². VFA estimated by BIA correlated well with that by CT, but a more accurate formula is needed to match CT data, particularly in older men or subjects with a high BMI.

The mass fluctuation kinetics (MFK) model is a set of coupled ordinary differential equations approximating the time evolution of means and covariances of species concentrations in chemical reaction networks. It generalises classical mass action kinetics (MAK), in which fluctuations around the mean are ignored. MFK may be used to approximate stochasticity in system trajectories when stochastic simulation methods are prohibitively expensive computationally. This study presents a set of tools to aid in the analysis of systems within the MFK framework. A closed-form expression for the MFK Jacobian matrix is derived. This expression facilitates the computation of MFK equilibria and the characterisation of the dynamics of small deviations from the equilibria (i.e. local dynamics). Software developed in MATLAB to analyse systems within the MFK framework is also presented. The authors outline a homotopy continuation method that employs the Jacobian for bifurcation analysis, that is, to generate a locus of steady-state Jacobian eigenvalues corresponding to changing a chosen MFK parameter such as system volume or a rate constant. This method is applied to study the effect of small-volume stochasticity on local dynamics at equilibria in a pair of example systems, namely the formation and dissociation of an enzyme-substrate complex and a genetic oscillator. For both systems, this study reveals volume regimes where MFK provides a quantitatively and/or qualitatively correct description of system behaviour, and regimes where the MFK approximation is inaccurate. Moreover, our analysis provides evidence that decreasing volume from the MAK regime (infinite volume) has a destabilising effect on system dynamics.

A child's body size is not accurately reflected by volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose-length product (DLP). Size-specific dose estimation (SSDE) was introduced recently as a new index of radiation dose. However, it has not yet been established as a diagnostic reference level (DRL). To calculate the SSDE of abdominal/pelvic CT and compare the SSDE with CTDIvol. To calculate the DRLs of CTDIvol and SSDE. Our hypotheses are: SSDE values will be greater than CTDIvol, and our DRL will be smaller than the known DRLs of other countries. The CTDIvol and DLP of 117 children who underwent abdominal/pelvic CT were collected retrospectively. The SSDE was calculated from the sum of the lateral and anteroposterior diameters. The relationships between body weight and effective diameter and between effective diameter and CTDIvol/SSDE were compared. Further, the local DRL was compared with the DRLs of other countries. Body weight and effective diameter and effective diameter and SSDE were positively correlated. In children ages 1, 5 and 10 years, the SSDE is closer to the exposure dose of CTDIvol for the 16-cm phantom, while in children ages 15 years, the SSDE falls between CTDIvol for the 16-cm phantom and that for the 32-cm phantom. The local DRL was lower than those of other countries. With SSDE, the radiation dose increased with increasing body weight. Since SSDE takes body size into account, it proved to be a useful indicator for estimating the exposure dose.

False positive (FP) marks represent an obstacle for effective use of computer-aided detection (CADe) of breast masses in mammography. Typically, the problem can be approached either by developing more discriminative features or by employing different classifier designs. In this paper, the usage of support vector machine (SVM) classification for FP reduction in CADe is investigated, presenting a systematic quantitative evaluation against neural networks, k-nearest neighbor classification, linear discriminant analysis and random forests. A large database of 2516 film mammography examinations and 73 input features was used to train the classifiers and evaluate for their performance on correctly diagnosed exams as well as false negatives. Further, classifier robustness was investigated using varying training data and feature sets as input. The evaluation was based on the mean exam sensitivity in 0.05-1 FPs on normals on the free-response receiver operating characteristic curve (FROC), incorporated into a tenfold cross validation framework. It was found that SVM classification using a Gaussian kernel offered significantly increased detection performance (P = 0.0002) compared to the reference methods. Varying training data and input features, SVMs showed improved exploitation of large feature sets. It is concluded that with the SVM-based CADe a significant reduction of FPs is possible outperforming other state-of-the-art approaches for breast mass CADe.

We are developing an 'intelligent' workstation to assist radiologists in diagnosing breast cancer from mammograms. The hardware for the workstation will consist of a film digitizer, a high speed computer, a large volume storage device, a film printer, and 4 high resolution CRT monitors. The software for the workstation is a comprehensive package of automated detection and classification schemes. Two rule-based detection schemes have been developed, one for breast masses and the other for clustered microcalcifications. The sensitivity of both schemes is 85% with a false-positive rate of approximately 3.0 and 1.5 false detections per image, for the mass and cluster detection schemes, respectively. Computerized classification is performed by an artificial neural network (ANN). The ANN has a sensitivity of 100% with a specificity of 60%. Currently, the ANN, which is a three-layer, feed-forward network, requires as input ratings of 14 different radiographic features of the mammogram that were determined subjectively by a radiologist. We are in the process of developing automated techniques to objectively determine these 14 features. The workstation will be placed in the clinical reading area of the radiology department in the near future, where controlled clinical tests will be performed to measure its efficacy.

We propose a novel computer-aided detection (CAD) framework of breast masses in mammography. To increase detection sensitivity for various types of mammographic masses, we propose the combined use of different detection algorithms. In particular, we develop a region-of-interest combination mechanism that integrates detection information gained from unsupervised and supervised detection algorithms. Also, to significantly reduce the number of false-positive (FP) detections, the new ensemble classification algorithm is developed. Extensive experiments have been conducted on a benchmark mammogram database. Results show that our combined detection approach can considerably improve the detection sensitivity with a small loss of FP rate, compared to representative detection algorithms previously developed for mammographic CAD systems. The proposed ensemble classification solution also has a dramatic impact on the reduction of FP detections; as much as 70% (from 15 to 4.5 per image) at only cost of 4.6% sensitivity loss (from 90.0% to 85.4%). Moreover, our proposed CAD method performs as well or better (70.7% and 80.0% per 1.5 and 3.5 FPs per image respectively) than the results of mammography CAD algorithms previously reported in the literature. (paper)

Full Text Available Abstract Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF imaging mass spectrometry, also called MALDI-imaging, is a label-free bioanalytical technique used for spatially-resolved chemical analysis of a sample. Usually, MALDI-imaging is exploited for analysis of a specially prepared tissue section thaw mounted onto glass slide. A tremendous development of the MALDI-imaging technique has been observed during the last decade. Currently, it is one of the most promising innovative measurement techniques in biochemistry and a powerful and versatile tool for spatially-resolved chemical analysis of diverse sample types ranging from biological and plant tissues to bio and polymer thin films. In this paper, we outline computational methods for analyzing MALDI-imaging data with the emphasis on multivariate statistical methods, discuss their pros and cons, and give recommendations on their application. The methods of unsupervised data mining as well as supervised classification methods for biomarker discovery are elucidated. We also present a high-throughput computational pipeline for interpretation of MALDI-imaging data using spatial segmentation. Finally, we discuss current challenges associated with the statistical analysis of MALDI-imaging data.

We developed a computer-aided detection (CAD) system aimed at decision support for detection of malignant masses and architectural distortions in mammograms. The effect of this system on radiologists' performance depends strongly on its standalone performance. The purpose of this study was to compare the standalone performance of this CAD system to that of radiologists. In a retrospective study, nine certified screening radiologists and three residents read 200 digital screening mammograms without the use of CAD. Performances of the individual readers and of CAD were computed as the true-positive fraction (TPF) at a false-positive fraction of 0.05 and 0.2. Differences were analysed using an independent one-sample t-test. At a false-positive fraction of 0.05, the performance of CAD (TPF = 0.487) was similar to that of the certified screening radiologists (TPF = 0.518, P = 0.17). At a false-positive fraction of 0.2, CAD performance (TPF = 0.620) was significantly lower than the radiologist performance (TPF = 0.736, P <0.001). Compared to the residents, CAD performance was similar for all false-positive fractions. The sensitivity of CAD at a high specificity was comparable to that of human readers. These results show potential for CAD to be used as an independent reader in breast cancer screening. (orig.)

Full Text Available Intraabdominal hypertension and Abdominal compartment syndrome are causes of morbidity and mortality in critical care patients. Timely diagnosis and treatment may improve organ functions. Intra-abdominal pressure monitoring is vital during evaluation of the patients and in the management algorithms. The incidence, definition and risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of intraabdominal hypertension and Abdominal compartment syndrome were reviewed here.

Necrotizing fasciitis is a critical illness involving skin and soft tissues, which may develop after blunt abdominal trauma causing abdominal wall hernia and representing a great challenge for physicians. A 52-year-old man was brought to the emergency department after a road accident, presenting blunt abdominal trauma with a large non-reducible mass in the lower-right abdomen. A first, CT showed abdominal hernia without signs of complication. Three hours after ICU admission, he developed hemodynamic instability. Therefore, a new CT scan was requested, showing signs of hernia complication. He was moved to the operating room where a complete transversal section of an ileal loop was identified. Five hours after surgery, he presented a new episode of hemodynamic instability with signs of skin and soft tissue infection. Due to the high clinical suspicion of necrotizing fasciitis development, wide debridement was performed. Following traumatic abdominal wall hernia (TAWH), patients can present unsuspected injuries in abdominal organs. Helical CT can be falsely negative in the early moments, leading to misdiagnosis. Necrotizing fasciitis is a potentially fatal infection and, consequently, resuscitation measures, wide-spectrum antibiotics, and early surgical debridement are required. This type of fasciitis can develop after blunt abdominal trauma following wall hernia without skin disruption.

AIM: Oral contrast media are commonly given prior to computed tomography (CT) examination of the upper abdomen. Although positive oral contrast media are normally used, there is increasing interest in using negative agents such as water and less commonly fat density products. The aim of this study was to compare a positive oral contrast medium, water, and a diluted emulsion of arachis oil (Calogen[reg], a fat density food supplement) for assessment of the upper abdomen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-one patients referred for upper abdominal CT were randomized to receive either 500 ml water, 2% sodium diatrizoate or a dilute suspension of Calogen[reg]. The CT images were scored independently by three radiologists. Distension and anatomical identification was assessed for the stomach, duodenum and jejunum; with anatomical identification recorded for the pancreas, retroperitoneum, liver, gallbladder and spleen. RESULTS: Dilute Calogen[reg] produced a significant improvement (P < 0.01) in distension and anatomical visualization of the stomach and proximal duodenum. Only minimal differences were demonstrated between the three contrast media for visualization of more distal small bowel or identification of the other upper abdominal viscera. Significantly more artifacts were caused by positive contrast media than with the Calogen[reg] mixture. CONCLUSION: A dilute suspension of Calogen[reg] as an oral contrast medium is recommended when disease is suspected within the stomach or proximal duodenum. Ramsay, D.W. et al. (2001)

Advances in computer technology and software have driven developments in mass spectrometry over the last 50 years. Computers and software have been impactful in three areas: the automation of difficult calculations to aid interpretation, the collection of data and control of instruments, and data interpretation. As the power of computers has grown, so too has the utility and impact on mass spectrometers and their capabilities. This has been particularly evident in the use of tandem mass spectrometry data to search protein and nucleotide sequence databases to identify peptide and protein sequences. This capability has driven the development of many new approaches to study biological systems, including the use of "bottom-up shotgun proteomics" to directly analyze protein mixtures.

Advances in computer technology and software have driven developments in mass spectrometry over the last 50 years. Computers and software have been impactful in three areas: the automation of difficult calculations to aid interpretation, the collection of data and control of instruments, and data interpretation. As the power of computers has grown, so too has the utility and impact on mass spectrometers and their capabilities. This has been particularly evident in the use of tandem mass spectrometry data to search protein and nucleotide sequence databases to identify peptide and protein sequences. This capability has driven the development of many new approaches to study biological systems, including the use of "bottom-up shotgun proteomics" to directly analyze protein mixtures. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

The construction of inverse states in a finite field F P α enables the organization of the mass scale with fundamental octets in an eight-dimensional index space that identifies particle states with residue class designations. Conformance with both CPT invariance and the concept of supersymmetry follows as a direct consequence of this formulation. Based on two parameters (P α and g α ) that are anchored on a concordance of physical data, this treatment leads to (1) a prospective mass for the muon neutrino of approximately27.68 meV, (2) a value of the unified strong-electroweak coupling constant α* = (34.26) -1 that is physically defined by the ratio of the electron neutrino and muon neutrino masses, and (3) a see-saw congruence connecting the Higgs, the electron neutrino, and the muon neutrino masses. Specific evaluation of the masses of the corresponding supersymmetric Higgs pair reveals that both particles are superheavy (> 10 18 GeV). No renormalization of the Higgs masses is introduced, since the calculational procedure yielding their magnitudes is intrinsically divergence-free. Further, the Higgs fulfills its conjectured role through the see-saw relation as the particle defining the origin of all particle masses, since the electron and muon neutrino systems, together with their supersymmetric partners, are the generators of the mass scale and establish the corresponding index space. Finally, since the computation of the Higgs masses is entirely determined by the modulus of the field P α , which is fully defined by the large-scale parameters of the universe through the value of the universal gravitational constant G and the requirement for perfect flatness (Omega = 1.0), the see-saw congruence fuses the concepts of mass and space and creates a new unified archetype

A child's body size is not accurately reflected by volume CT dose index (CTDI{sub vol}) and dose-length product (DLP). Size-specific dose estimation (SSDE) was introduced recently as a new index of radiation dose. However, it has not yet been established as a diagnostic reference level (DRL). To calculate the SSDE of abdominal/pelvic CT and compare the SSDE with CTDI{sub vol}. To calculate the DRLs of CTDI{sub vol} and SSDE. Our hypotheses are: SSDE values will be greater than CTDI{sub vol}, and our DRL will be smaller than the known DRLs of other countries. The CTDI{sub vol} and DLP of 117 children who underwent abdominal/pelvic CT were collected retrospectively. The SSDE was calculated from the sum of the lateral and anteroposterior diameters. The relationships between body weight and effective diameter and between effective diameter and CTDI{sub vol}/SSDE were compared. Further, the local DRL was compared with the DRLs of other countries. Body weight and effective diameter and effective diameter and SSDE were positively correlated. In children ages 1, 5 and 10 years, the SSDE is closer to the exposure dose of CTDI{sub vol} for the 16-cm phantom, while in children ages 15 years, the SSDE falls between CTDI{sub vol} for the 16-cm phantom and that for the 32-cm phantom. The local DRL was lower than those of other countries. With SSDE, the radiation dose increased with increasing body weight. Since SSDE takes body size into account, it proved to be a useful indicator for estimating the exposure dose. (orig.)

Hereditary angioedema is an episodic swelling disorder with autosomal dominant inheritance characterized by sudden attacks of peripheral swelling. Patients also commonly have episodic swelling of the wall of hollow viscera, including the bowel. We present a 33-year-old previously healthy male with a complaint of acute-onset intense abdominal pain localized in the epigastrium. Pain irradiated to the right lower quadrant and was associated with five episodes of vomiting. Computed tomography showed thickening of the duodenal wall with liquid in the subphrenic space. Complementary laboratory tests showed low C4 complement levels (5.5 mg/dl) and 30% complement C1 inhibitor activity. Hereditary angioedema is caused by a deficiency (type I) or dysfunction (type II) in complement C1 inhibitor. Abdominal associated with angioedema may manifest as severe acute-onset abdominal pain or as moderately severe chronic recurrent abdominal pain. Two medications are currently FDA-approved for the treatment of these patients.

Abdominal pregnancy is a rare entity, which has been classified as primary or secondary by Studiford criteria. A retrospective study, between January 1989 and December 1994, realized at Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, found 35,080 pregnancies, from which 149 happened to be ectopic, and 6 of them were abdominal. All patients belonged to a low income society class, age between 24 and 35 years, and average of gestations in 2.6. Gestational age varied from 15 weeks to 32.2 weeks having only one delivery at term with satisfactory postnatal evolution. One patient had a recurrent abdominal pregnancy, with genital Tb as a conditional factor. Time of hospitalization varied from 4 to 5 days, and no further patient complications were reported. Fetal loss was estimated in 83.4%. Abdominal pregnancy is often the sequence of a tubarian ectopic pregnancy an when present, it has a very high maternal mortality reported in world literature, not found in this study. The stated frequency of abdominal pregnancy is from 1 of each 3372, up to 1 in every 10,200 deliveries, reporting in the study 1 abdominal pregnancy in 5846 deliveries. The study had two characteristic entities one, the recurrence and two, the delivery at term of one newborn. Abdominal pregnancy accounts for 4% of all ectopic pregnancies. Clinical findings in abdominal pregnancies are pain, transvaginal bleeding and amenorrea, being the cardinal signs of ectopic pregnancy.

Full Text Available ... What are the limitations of Abdominal Ultrasound Imaging? What is Abdominal Ultrasound Imaging? Ultrasound is safe and ... as the liver or kidneys. top of page What are some common uses of the procedure? Abdominal ...

Simultaneous developments in big data, social media, and computational social science have set the stage for how we think about and understand interpersonal and mass communication. This article explores some of the ways that these developments generate 4 hypothetical "vectors" - directions - into the next generation of communication research. These vectors include developments in network analysis, modeling interpersonal and social influence, recommendation systems, and the blurring of distinctions between interpersonal and mass audiences through narrowcasting and broadcasting. The methods and research in these arenas are occurring in areas outside the typical boundaries of the communication discipline but engage classic, substantive questions in mass and interpersonal communication.

It is difficult to distinguish benign from malignant, ulmonary nodule by conventional roentgenologic examination. But CT makes it easier to evaluate adjacent parenchymal invasion, pleural or mediastinal extension, or early metastasis to intra- or extrathoracic lymph node as well as distant organs, although only a solitary peripheral pulmonary nodule is seen on plain radiograph. Authors reviewed CT of 22 cases of histopathologically confirmed primary lung cancer seen as a solitary peripheral pulmonary mass from May 1980 to September 1984 at Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University. The results are as follows: 1. The incidence was most common in the 6th decade (36%). Male to female ratio was 10 : 1 and 2 females all had bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma. 2. The distribution of histologic cell type were as follows: squamous cell carcinoma 40%, adenocarcinoma, small cell carcinoma, bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma and unclassified carcinoma 14% in each cases, and adenoid cystic carcinoma 4%. 3. The computed tomographic findings were as follows: a) Superior and posterior basal segments of both lower lobes were most frequently involved (68%). b) The mean diameter of the mass was 48 mm, and most common in the range of 30-49 mm in the greatest dimension (46%). c) The mean CT attenuation value was 57 H.U., and most common in the group of 41-70 H. U. (64%). d) Lymph node metastasis was found in 13 (59%) of 22 cases, and the involved nodes were as follows: hilar nodes 10 cases, paratracheal nodes 8 cases, subcarinal nodes 7 cases and extrathoracic nodes 3 cases. In 2 of 3 cases with small cell carcinoma, diffuse multiple lymph nodes were involved. e) Distant metastasis was seen relatively early in 3 cases: cerebral metastasis in 1 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, right adrenal metastasis without intrathoracic lymph node metastasis or invasion of adjacent structure in 1 case of bronchioloalveolar cell carcinoma, and liver and bone metastasis in 1 case of unclassified

A 73-year-old woman presented with a six-day history of abdominal pain that had started in the epigastrium, but recently had become more intense in the right lower quadrant. Peptic ulcer had been diagnosed three years prior to presentation and had been managed medically. On physical examination, epigastric tenderness as well as guarding and rebound tenderness in the right lower quandrant were present. Mild leukocytosis was reported. Computed tomography demonstrated a 5-cm retrocecal mass with low attenuation (fluid content) surrounded by an irregularly thickened uncalcified wall. Multiple areas of tissue debris were seen extending into the mass, but no true separation was present

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Thoracic diseases are common and include a wide spectrum of lesions involving distinct compartments, i.e. lung parenchyma, pleura, chest wall and mediastinum. ‘Chest masses’ is a vast topic and includes all the lung, mediastinal, chest wall and pleural tumour whether benign or malignant. Compared to other noninvasive techniques, Computed Tomography (CT can better delineate the local extent of lung tumours as well as visualise the mediastinal nodes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital, VSSMCH, Sambalpur, Burla. All 50 patients who had chest findings were included in the present study. Relevant lab investigations and CT was done to determine the size, morphology, margin, density, calcification and various other characters. RESULTS All the patients were in the age of 15-65 years. The incidence of benign lesion was maximum below the age of 35 years. All the malignant lesions were above the age of 45 years. Lung lesions constituted 52% of the cases, while mediastinal masses constituted 48% of the cases. Out of the lung lesions, 53.84% of the lesions turned out to be malignant, whereas 46.14% of the lesions were benign. CONCLUSION Majority of the lung lesions were malignant and tuberculosis was the commonest among the benign lesions. Among the mediastinal lesions, germ cell tumour was found to be the commonest lesion.

Imaging of patients with oral cancer is required to determine tumor extension in order to assist in prognosis and surgical planning. Conventional screen-film radiography (SFR) used to be the most common method for oral assessment, but computed tomography (CT) has become more available and is being used for obtaining complementary information. CT examinations eliminate superimposition by acquiring cross-sectional images of the region of interest. The objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of SFR compared with CT examinations for evaluation of oral masses in dogs. Twenty-one dogs received head and thorax SFR, and pre- and post-contrast head CT. Bony changes were observed in 80.9% and 95.2% of the cases in SFR and CT studies, respectively. Invasion of adjacent structures (i.e. nasal cavity, frontal and sphenoidal sinuses, orbit, maxillary recess, nasopharynx) was observed in only 30% of cases with SFR while CT showed 90.4% involvement. CT is an important preoperative examination modality and is more effective in identifying bone changes and tumor invasion of adjacent structures compared with SFR.

To differentiate between malignant and benign tumors, computed tomography (CT) and 67 Ga-scintigraphy were carried out on 40 patients having pelvic masses. The uptake of 67 Ga-citrate was divided into three groups: negative, suspicious and positive. Contrast enhancement (CE) was employed with CT. The increases in CT numbers after contrast enhancement were divided into three groups: no enhancement (0 to 20 HU), low enhancement (21 to 40 HU) and high enhancement (over 41 HU). The results were as follows: 1) 67 Ga negative group: out of 18 patients, there was only one patient with ovarian carcinoma. The lesion was too small to detect by CT. All the remaining 17 patients had benign tumors. The increased CT numbers in benign ovarian tumors were all within the range of no enhancement. On the other hand, the increases in CT number in myoma uteri were in the range of high enhancement. 2) 67 Ga suspicious group: in 3 of 10 patients, ovarian carcinomas were detected. Because the carcinoma tissues had low enhanced CT numbers after CE, they were easily differentiated from the benign tumors. 3) 67 Ga positive group: out of 12 patients, there were 3 patients with inflammatory disease. The increases in CT numbers in the inflammatory tissue were in the range of high enhancement, so they could be clearly differentiated from malignant tissues which ranged in low enhanced CT numbers. There were no benign tumors in this group. (author)

A large abdominalmass containing numerous cysticerci identified as those of Taenia crassiceps (=Cysticercus longicollis) was found in the pelvic region of the abdominal cavity of a severely constipated and emaciated red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Cysticercosis has not previously been reported in a wild canid in North America.

We present the case of a 16-year old student with Marfan's syndrome and abdominal aortic aneurysm who presented with a diagnostic conundrum. He presented with a three months history of progressive painful left upper abdominalmass and back pain. It became severe in the last two weeks before presentation and was ...

Apr 1, 2006 ... Conclusion: Pain is the most frequent reason for requesting abdominal ultrasound scanning but it has a low yield of sonographic findings. Scanning for abdominal swelling/mass gave the highest proportion of abnormal findings. USS of a surgical patient done by surgeons expedites diagnostic workup ...

Computed tomography is an accurate method of identifying the various types of abdominal wall hernias, especially if they are clinically occult, and of distinguishing them from other diseases such as hematomas, abscesses and neoplasia. In this study we examined the CT images of 94 patients affected by abdominal wall hernias observed over a period of 6 years. Computed tomography clearly demonstrates the anatomical site of the hernial sac, the content and any occlusive bowel complications due to incarceration or strangulation. Clinical diagnosis of external hernias is particularly difficult in obese patients or in those with laparotic scars. In these cases abdominal imaging is essential for a correct preoperative diagnosis and to determine the most effective treatment. (orig.)

The anterior abdominal wall has received little attention in the ultrasonic evaluation. However recently the improved resolution of ultrasound scanning devices has made possible routine examination of the anterior abdominal wall. The authors evaluated ultrasonographic findings of anterior abdominal wall lesions in 27 cases for 1 year(from July '82 to Aug. '83), which were finally diagnosed pathologically and clinically. The results were as follows: 1. Well defined peritoneal line and layers of the anterior abdominal wall made it possible to localize the lesions accurately from adjacent structures. 2. Abscess and hematoma were lower in echogenecity than adjacent tissues, such as muscle layer or subcutaneous fat space and were well delineated from normal structures. 3. In hernia, easy differentiation was made due to oval shape, poor or decreased echo pattern and protrustion from skin layer. Conclusively, in the doubtful cases of palpable mass in the abdominal wall, postoperative complications of sequele, such as accurately but also the guide of treatment. Ultrasonography of anterior abdominal wall is useful to demonstrate the exact location, extent of the lesions and to decrease the frequency of useless laparatomy

We propose to investigate the use of the subregion Hotelling observer for the basis of a computer aided detection scheme for masses in mammography. A database of 1320 regions of interest (ROIs) was selected from the DDSM database collected by the University of South Florida using the Lumisys scanner cases. The breakdown of the cases was as follows: 656 normal ROIs, 307 benign ROIs, and 357 cancer ROIs. Each ROI was extracted at a size of 1024x1024 pixels and subsampled to 128x128 pixels. For the detection task, cancer and benign cases were considered positive and normal was considered negative. All positive cases had the lesion centered in the ROI. We chose to investigate the subregion Hotelling observer as a classifier to detect masses. The Hotelling observer incorporates information about the signal, the background, and the noise correlation for prediction of positive and negative and is the optimal detector when these are known. For our study, 225 subregion Hotelling observers were set up in a 15x15 grid across the center of the ROIs. Each separate observer was designed to 'observe', or discriminate, an 8x8 pixel area of the image. A leave one out training and testing methodology was used to generate 225 'features', where each feature is the output of the individual observers. The 225 features derived from separate Hotelling observers were then narrowed down by using forward searching linear discriminants (LDs). The reduced set of features was then analyzed using an additional LD with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The 225 Hotelling observer features were searched by the forward searching LD, which selected a subset of 37 features. This subset of 37 features was then analyzed using an additional LD, which gave a ROC area under the curve of 0.9412+/-0.006 and a partial area of 0.6728. Additionally, at 98% sensitivity the overall classifier had a specificity of 55.9% and a positive predictive value of 69.3%. Preliminary results suggest that

respectively. Of the arsenal of analytical methods available for characterization of these organosulfur compounds, mass spectrometry (MS...identified in order to estimate the relative intensity of each peak. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was performed on these organosulfur

Background: Obesity is an increasing problem in the developing world, with more than 115 million people suffering from obesity-related problems. Abdominal obesity and increased body mass index are known to be associated with hypertension5, an important public health problem worldwide and the most widely ...

Aim: To review the outcome of further assessment of breast abnormalities detected incidentally by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and to determine whether any MDCT imaging features were predictive of malignancy. Material and methods: The outcome of 34 patients referred to the Primrose Breast Care Unit with breast abnormalities detected incidentally using MDCT was prospectively recorded. Women with a known diagnosis of breast cancer were excluded. CT imaging features and histological diagnoses were recorded and the correlation assessed using Fisher's exact test. Results: Of the 34 referred patients a malignant diagnosis was noted in 11 (32%). There were 10 breast malignancies (seven invasive ductal carcinomas, one invasive lobular carcinoma, two metastatic lesions) and one axillary lymphoma. CT features suggestive of breast malignancy were spiculation [6/10 (60%) versus 0/24 (0%) p = 0.0002] and associated axillary lymphadenopathy [3/10 (33%) versus 0/20 (0%) p = 0.030]. Conversely, a well-defined mass was suggestive of benign disease [10/24 (42%) versus 0/10 (0%); p = 0.015]. Associated calcification, ill-definition, heterogeneity, size, and multiplicity of lesions were not useful discriminating CT features. There was a non-significant trend for lesions in involuted breasts to be more frequently malignant than in dense breasts [6/14 (43%) versus 4/20 (20%) p = 0.11]. Conclusion: In the present series there was a significant rate (32%) of malignancy in patients referred to the breast clinic with CT-detected incidental breast lesions. The CT features of spiculation or axillary lymphadenopathy are strongly suggestive of malignancy.

Full Text Available ... for tumors as well as monitor response to chemotherapy. top of page How should I prepare? You ... of acute abdominal conditions in babies, such as vomiting or blood in stool. For some conditions, including ...

Full Text Available ... be asked to remove hearing aids and removable dental work. Women will be asked to remove bras ... can diagnose many causes of abdominal pain or injury from trauma with very high accuracy, enabling faster ...

Full Text Available ... experienced radiologist can diagnose many causes of abdominal pain or injury from trauma with very high accuracy, enabling faster treatment and often eliminating the need for additional, more ...

Full Text Available ... is done because a potential abnormality needs further evaluation with additional views or a special imaging technique. ... GI) contrast exams and ultrasound are preferred for evaluation of acute abdominal conditions in babies, such as ...

... have a clear idea about the cause of pain. Sometimes a diagnosis is made and treatment can be started. In ... tests. Treatment What treatments are available for abdominal pain? Once a diagnosis is made, treatment can proceed for that condition. ...

Full Text Available ... often used to determine the cause of unexplained pain. CT scanning is fast, painless, noninvasive and accurate. ... help diagnose the cause of abdominal or pelvic pain and diseases of the internal organs, small bowel ...

Full Text Available ... organs and is often used to determine the cause of unexplained pain. CT scanning is fast, painless, ... procedure is typically used to help diagnose the cause of abdominal or pelvic pain and diseases of ...

Full Text Available ... disease such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease , pancreatitis or liver cirrhosis. cancers of the liver, kidneys, ... exams and ultrasound are preferred for evaluation of acute abdominal conditions in babies, such as vomiting or ...

Full Text Available ... the technologist verifies that the images are of high enough quality for accurate interpretation. The CT examination ... abdominal pain or injury from trauma with very high accuracy, enabling faster treatment and often eliminating the ...

Full Text Available ... abdominal conditions in babies, such as vomiting or blood in stool. For some conditions, including but not limited to some liver, kidney, pancreatic, uterine or ... Content Some imaging tests and treatments have special pediatric considerations. The teddy ...

Full Text Available ... the liver, kidneys, pancreas, ovaries and bladder as well as lymphoma. kidney and bladder stones. abdominal aortic ... and properly administer radiation treatments for tumors as well as monitor response to chemotherapy. top of page ...

The use of computed tomography (CT) to screen for injuries in pediatric blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) is increasing, concurrent with increasing concern over long-term risk of radiation-associated malignancies. We proposed to determine features that could be identified in the early assessment of these patients, which can predict the likelihood of clinically important intra-abdominal injuries warranting imaging by CT. We further queried if these were discrepant from factors associated with the decision to obtain an abdominal CT. Data of patients admitted with BAT to one of two Level I pediatric trauma centers were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical, laboratory, radiographic, and epidemiologic data were collected. Logistic regression was used to determine associations between pre-CT findings and ultimate diagnoses of "notable" or "clinically important" intra-abdominal injuries. Similar analyses were performed to determine which findings were associated with actually receiving an abdominal CT scan. Of 571 patients, 37% had a notable intra-abdominal injury and 18% a clinically important intra-abdominal injury. After adjusting for all covariates, hematuria (gross or microscopic), elevated serum alanine aminotransferase, and documentation of clinically concerning abdominal findings upon examination remained significant predictors (odds ratio (OR), 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-6.8; OR, 10.9; 95% CI, 2.5-47, respectively) of a clinically important injury. Undergoing a CT head and the presence of hematuria were significantly associated with obtaining a CT of the abdomen (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.5-7.7; OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.1-7.3, respectively), while concerning abdominal findings and decreased Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score were not. Clinical variables may be used to predict intra-abdominal injuries after pediatric BAT that may warrant imaging with CT scanning. Combined with findings from similar studies, it may be possible to derive and validate a decision-making rule both

Neurilemmoma, also known as schwannoma, is an uncommon benign neoplasm that is most commonly found in the trunk and head and neck regions. The present study reports the case of a 67-year-old female with schwannoma localized in the anterior abdominal wall and analyzes the ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) imaging observations of the schwannoma. A dynamic time-intensity curve was also recorded in the study. A well-defined, elliptic low echo level, heterogeneous mass was observed during ultrasound examination. The CT scan revealed a solid, heterogeneous, low-density mass in the abdominal wall. Contrast-enhanced scans showed a heterogeneously enhanced mass during the arterial and venous phase. Centripetal fill-in was demonstrated and the mass was markedly, homogenously enhanced relative to the muscles during the delayed phase. Peak enhancement was observed during the venous phase and then slowly declined. However, the mass was hyperattenuated during the delayed phase. The lesion was completely excised and no evidence of recurrence has been identified during the 3 months of follow-up. The present study suggested that a diagnosis of schwannoma should be considered for certain patients with masses in the abdominal wall. Peripheral enhancement during the arterial and venous phases and homogeneous enhancement in the delayed phase are the significant imaging findings of a schwannoma.

An 8-yr-old boy with a 1-mo history of culture-negative fever and anemia underwent gallium, ultrasound, and computed tomography studies as part of the evaluation of a fever of unknown origin. These studies revealed a mobile gallium-avid solid abdominalmass subsequently proven to be an inflammatory pseudotumor of the mesentery, a rare benign mass. This report documents the gallium-avid nature of this rare lesion and discusses associated characteristic clinical, pathologic, and radiographic features

A computer program (eCRAM) has been developed for automated processing of electrospray mass spectra based on the charge ratio analysis method. The eCRAM algorithm deconvolutes electrospray mass spectra solely from the ratio of mass-to-charge (m/z) values of multiply charged ions. The program first determines the ion charge by correlating the ratio of m/z values for any two (i.e., consecutive or non-consecutive) multiply charged ions to the unique ratios of two integers. The mass, and subsequently the identity of the charge carrying species, is further determined from m/z values and charge states of any two ions. For the interpretation of high-resolution electrospray mass spectra, eCRAM correlates isotopic peaks that share the same isotopic compositions. This process is also performed through charge ratio analysis after correcting the multiply charged ions to their lowest common ion charge. The application of eCRAM algorithm has been demonstrated with theoretical mass-to-charge ratios for proteins lysozyme and carbonic anhydrase, as well as experimental data for both low and high-resolution FT-ICR electrospray mass spectra of a range of proteins (ubiquitin, cytochrome c, transthyretin, lysozyme and calmodulin). This also included the simulated data for mixtures by combining experimental data for ubiquitin, cytochrome c and transthyretin.

Abstract Backgroud: Cross-sectional imaging techniques, including ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are increasingly used for evaluation of Crohn?s disease (CD). Aim: To perform an assessment of the diagnostic accuracy of cross-sectional imaging techniques for diagnosis of CD, evaluation of disease extension and activity, and diagnosis of complications, and to provide recommendations for their optimal use. Methods: Relevant ...

A recent workshop at the University of Washington focused on mathematical and computational aspects of modeling the dynamics of dense, gravity-driven mass movements such as rock avalanches and debris flows. About 30 participants came from seven countries and brought diverse backgrounds in geophysics; geology; physics; applied and computational mathematics; and civil, mechanical, and geotechnical engineering. The workshop was cosponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program, by the U.S. National Science Foundation through a Vertical Integration of Research and Education (VIGRE) in the Mathematical Sciences grant to the University of Washington, and by the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences. It began with a day of lectures open to the academic community at large and concluded with 2 days of focused discussions and collaborative work among the participants.

The aim of the study was to analyse whether the selection and recruitment for hospital-based mass screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is acceptable for the population according to the criteria from the Council of Europe.......The aim of the study was to analyse whether the selection and recruitment for hospital-based mass screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is acceptable for the population according to the criteria from the Council of Europe....

This paper focuses on dual-energy X-ray computed tomography and especially the decomposition of the measured attenuation coefficient in a mass density and atomic number basis. In particular, the concept of effective atomic number is discussed. Although the atomic number is well defined for chemical elements, the definition of an effective atomic number for any compound is not an easy task. After reviewing different definitions available in literature, a definition related to the method of measurement and X-ray energy, is suggested. A new concept of effective mass density is then introduced in order to characterize material from dual-energy computed tomography. Finally, this new concept and definition are applied on a simulated case, focusing on explosives identification in luggage

Intra-abdominal cryptococcosis was diagnosed in two young dogs. The first, an entire male border collie, was presented with vomiting. An abdominalmass detected during physical examination proved to be cryptococcal mesenteric lymphadenitis on exploratory laparotomy. The second dog, a female neutered giant schnauzer, was presented with neurological signs suggestive of encephalopathy. Intestinal cryptococcal granulomas were detected in an extensive diagnostic investigation which included abdominal ultrasonography. The gastrointestinal tract was considered the most likely portal of entry for cryptococcal organisms in both cases. Both dogs were treated using surgery and multiagent antifungal chemotherapy. The first case succumbed despite therapy, while the second dog was treated successfully as gauged by return to clinical normality and a substantial decline in the cryptococcal antigen titre which continued to fall after cessation of treatment.

Resistance training had no impact on the measures of centrally located and abdominal adiposity. Body mass and BMI should be used with caution in risk calculations and measures of total adiposity in individuals engaging in resistance training due to this mode of training increasing lean mass (and thus body mass and BMI) ...

Full Text Available Abstract Backround Sigmoid colon cancer metachronous metastases commonly occur in the liver and lungs with sporadic reports also to the spleen, stomach, thyroid gland, abdominal wall and upper urinary tract. This is a rare case of metachronous metastases invading the mesorectum and the abdominal wall. Case presentation A 72-year-old female underwent sigmoidectomy for stage I (T2N0 M0 sigmoid colon cancer in May 2008. In June 2009, an abdominalcomputed tomography scan revealed a tumor 2 cm in size at the lower anterior mesorectum and a second mass 2 cm in size at the anterior abdominal wall midline. Total colonoscopy showed no mucosal lesion. The serum carcinoembryonic antigen level was normal. A biopsy of the mesorectum tumor showed similar histologic characteristics with the primary tumor. Since no other site of recurrence was identified, an abdominoperineal resection was attempted. During the operation and after the removal of the incision recurrence, sinus bradycardia and signs of myocardial ischemia were noticed. A loop transverse colostomy was immediately perfomed and the operation was terminated. Postoperative cardiologic examination revealed an acute myocardium infract. Chemo-radiation of the mesorectum tumor and re-evaluation for surgical excision was decided. Conclusion Metachronous metastasis of the mesorectum from sigmoid colon cancer is extremely rare. Although patterns of lymphatic spread from rectal cancer to sigmoid colon have recently been demonstrated, there is no evidence of metachronous mesorectum invasion from sigmoid colon cancer. This could be the issue for future trials.

The diagnosis of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) is usually made on the basis of the classic clinical presentation of hypotension, abdominal or back pain, and a pulsating abdominalmass. However, given the large differential diagnosis for abdominal or back pain, the diagnosis can be elusive in a stable patient. The importance of a rapid diagnosis of a RAAA is emphasized by the 32%-70% operative mortality rate and the 77%-94% overall mortality rate. The case reported here demonstrates unusual clinical and radiological findings in a patient with a RAAA. The patient presented with back pain and a progressive radiculopathy in the L4 distribution. The diagnosis of RAAA was delayed 6 weeks because of the investigation of a suspected nerve root entrapment. Consecutive computed tomographic (CT) imaging over a 6-day period showed the evolution of a psoas muscle hematoma secondary to a RAAA. This case emphasizes the importance of considering a RAAA in elderly patients with a prolonged history of back pain. (author)

A 32-year-old Filipino female, working as an x-ray technician, presented to the Emergency Room (ER) with acute abdominal pain for one day. The pain was mainly on the left side and left hypochondrium. She had recurring abdominal pain before but not significant to worry her. She also complained of abdominal distension, which she noticed one week ago. Abdominal examination revealed fullness in the left hypochondrium with marked tenderness but negative rebound. Abdominal ultrasound (US) showed a huge mass mainly in the left hypochondrium. The origin of the mass cannot be identified by US. A computerized tomography scan showed a mass in the left side of the abdomen crossing the midline with a necrotic centre. The hospital course of the patient runs smoothly, and she was discharged after 7-days and referred to an Oncology Center. Abdominal mesothelioma is a neoplasm arising from the mesothelial surface lining the abdominal cavity. It is less frequent than that of the pleura. It is a rapidly growing and fatal malignancy with a median survival of less than 1-year. The relation between pleural malignant mesothelioma and asbestos is well recognized since it was described in 19602 but implication of asbestos exposure in the etiology of the peritoneal type is less obvious. This patient history is giving no obvious exposure to asbestos but as she is working in the Radiology Department as an x-ray technician she is well exposed to x-ray, but the effect of radioactivity on induction of mesothelioma is still disputed.4 There are several reports linking malignant mesothelioma to radioactivity due to radiation therapy.The fibrous mesothelioma (sarcomatous), as in this case, which is difficult to diagnose microscopically, looks like a fibroma, unless helped by tissue culture. The treatment options of malignant mesothelioma include surgery, intraperitoneal chemotherapy and whole abdominal radiation or multimodality therapy, which were suggested that might prolong the survival in

Adrenal glands are common sites of diseases. With dramatically increased use of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, more and more uncommon adrenal masses have been detected incidentally at abdominal examinations performed for other purposes. In this article, uncommon adrenal masses are classified as cystic masses (endothelial cysts, epithelial cysts, parasitic cysts, and pseudocysts), solid masses (ganglioneuroma, ganglioneuroblastoma, extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP), neurilemmoma, and lymphoma), fat-containing masses (myelolipoma, teratoma), and infectious masses (tuberculoma), and the imaging features of these uncommon masses are demonstrated. Although most of these lesions do not have specific imaging features, some fat-containing masses and cystic lesions present with characteristic appearances, such as myelolipoma, teratoma, and hydatid. Combination with histopathologic characteristic of these uncommon masses of adrenal gland, radiological features of these lesions on CT and MR imaging can be accurately understood with more confidences. Moreover, CT and MRI are highly accurate in localization of uncommon adrenal masses, and useful to guide surgical treatments

Current computer-aided detection (CAD) schemes for detecting mammographic masses have several limitations including high correlation with radiologists’ detection and cueing most subtle masses only on one view. To increase CAD sensitivity in cueing more subtle masses that are likely missed and/or overlooked by radiologists without increasing false-positive rates, we investigated a new case-dependent cueing method by combining the original CAD-generated detection scores with a computed bilateral mammographic density asymmetry index. Using the new method, we adaptively raise the CAD-generated scores of the regions detected on ‘high-risk’ cases to cue more subtle mass regions and reduce the CAD scores of the regions detected on ‘low-risk’ cases to discard more false-positive regions. A testing dataset involving 78 positive and 338 negative cases was used to test this adaptive cueing method. Each positive case involves two sequential examinations in which the mass was detected in ‘current’ examination and missed in ‘prior’ examination but detected in a retrospective review by radiologists. Applying to this dataset, a pre-optimized CAD scheme yielded 75% case-based and 55% region-based sensitivity on ‘current’ examinations at a false-positive rate of 0.25 per image. CAD sensitivity was reduced to 42% (case based) and 27% (region based) on ‘prior’ examinations. Using the new cueing method, case-based and region-based sensitivity could maximally increase 9% and 33% on the ‘prior’ examinations, respectively. The percentages of the masses cued on two views also increased from 27% to 65%. The study demonstrated that using this adaptive cueing method enabled us to help CAD cue more subtle cancers without increasing the false-positive cueing rate. (paper)

CR has ability to make many kinds of images by several imaging processings. Especially, gradation processing is more important than frequency processing to make images in CR mammography. We developed new method to image breast masses selectively with new gradation processing and tried it for 18 patients over sixty years old with breast cancer. All of breast mass shadows were separated selectively from other parencymal shadow. So, we conclude that the auto-recognition of breast mass shadow can be possible in near future in CR system. (author)

From February 1986 to March 1988 113 abdominal US exams were performed in emergency situation to evaluate the accuracy of this methodology: 13 were blunt traumas, 18 post-operative complications. A real-time scanner with a linear probe of 5 MHz was employed. The results were confirmed by surgical and/or clinical and instrumental evaluation. In 81% of the examinations, ultrasonography allowed a diagnosis to be made. Gallbladder and biliary pathologies were the most common findings. The results (sensibility 96%, specificity 88%, accuracy 95%) confirm the affidability of ultrasonography in abdominal emergencies, as shown in literature

In general, the definite determination of bacterial species is a tedious process and requires extensive manual labour. Novel technologies for bacterial detection and analysis can therefore help microbiologists in minimising their efforts in developing a number of microbiological applications. We present a robust, standardized procedure for automated bacterial analysis that is based on the detection of patterns of protein masses by MALDI mass spectrometry. We particularly applied the approach for classifying and identifying strains in species of the genus Erwinia. Many species of this genus are associated with disastrous plant diseases such as fire blight. Using our experimental procedure, we created a general bacterial mass spectra database that currently contains 2800 entries of bacteria of different genera. This database will be steadily expanded. To support users with a feasible analytical method, we developed and tested comprehensive software tools that are demonstrated herein. Furthermore, to gain additional analytical accuracy and reliability in the analysis we used genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms by mass spectrometry to unambiguously determine closely related strains that are difficult to distinguish by only relying on protein mass pattern detection. With the method for bacterial analysis, we could identify fire blight pathogens from a variety of biological sources. The method can be used for a number of additional bacterial genera. Moreover, the mass spectrometry approach presented allows the integration of data from different biological levels such as the genome and the proteome.

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In general, the definite determination of bacterial species is a tedious process and requires extensive manual labour. Novel technologies for bacterial detection and analysis can therefore help microbiologists in minimising their efforts in developing a number of microbiological applications. METHODOLOGY: We present a robust, standardized procedure for automated bacterial analysis that is based on the detection of patterns of protein masses by MALDI mass spectrometry. We particularly applied the approach for classifying and identifying strains in species of the genus Erwinia. Many species of this genus are associated with disastrous plant diseases such as fire blight. Using our experimental procedure, we created a general bacterial mass spectra database that currently contains 2800 entries of bacteria of different genera. This database will be steadily expanded. To support users with a feasible analytical method, we developed and tested comprehensive software tools that are demonstrated herein. Furthermore, to gain additional analytical accuracy and reliability in the analysis we used genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms by mass spectrometry to unambiguously determine closely related strains that are difficult to distinguish by only relying on protein mass pattern detection. CONCLUSIONS: With the method for bacterial analysis, we could identify fire blight pathogens from a variety of biological sources. The method can be used for a number of additional bacterial genera. Moreover, the mass spectrometry approach presented allows the integration of data from different biological levels such as the genome and the proteome.

Between 1978 and 1983, 80 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) in clinical Stage I-III had computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis and lymphography (LAG) prior to staging laparatomy with multiple lymph node biopsies at Stanford University Medical Center. There were 224 biopsied nodal sites. The sensitivity and specificity for CT to determine the status of biopsied paraortic and iliac nodes was .61 and .91 vs. .94 and .90 for LAG. CT appeared of even lower sensitivity (.13) in evaluating splenic hilar, celiac axis and portal nodes. Including all biopsy proven subdiaphragmatic nodal sites, CT's sensitivity to diagnose the presence of subdiaphragmatic adenopathy was .38 vs. .52 in LAG. Assessment of the final pathological stage was more successful by LAG (.61) than by CT (.49). Positive and negative predictive values of both tests indicate higher reliability of LAG results as regards individual intraabdominal nodes (LAG .71, .98 vs. CT .58, .86), the entire subdiaphragmatic nodal area (LAG .79, .77 vs. CT .61, .71) and prediction of final pathological stage. LAG appeared to be the more useful test during initial staging of newly diagnosed and untreated patients with HD. None of the test for itself or in combination can replace laparatomy when exact information is necessary for further clinical decisions.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common pathology in western societies. Unenhanced computed tomography (CT) of the liver is a valuable tool in determining the presence of steatosis hepatis, but in most departments standard CT protocols of abdomen often do not include unenhanced scans anymore. In a small series of 22 patients the liver density was measured in the acquired low-dose baseline scan for bolus tracking and was compared to the measurement in a regular unenhanced CT scan of the upper abdomen. The mean difference between the unenhanced CT scan and the low-dose baseline scan was 3.4 HU (range 0.2–8.6 HU); the difference between these two scans was 5 HU or smaller in 82% of the patients. There was a significant difference between the two used CT scanners; this has to be kept in mind before implementing this approach into daily practice. All but one patient with fatty liver disease on unenhanced CT were diagnosed using the baseline scan. The baseline scan for bolus tracking may be useful for the diagnosis or in the followup of fatty liver disease

was to validate the capability of this solver and dynamic mesh functionality. A two dimensional numerical wave tank was set up, and two wave relaxation zones were used to reduce the size of the computational domain. Harmonic forced oscillations of the cylinder were performed at different frequencies......This paper presents numerical computation of added massand damping coefficients of a slender horizontal cylinder in thefree surface zone, which typically serves as a fish cage floater. A fully viscous two phase flow solver in OpenFOAM was employed in the numerical computation. The purpose...... and amplitudes. The mesh at free surface zone was refined based on the radiated wave heights at different oscillation frequencies in order to properly resolve the radiated waves. The result shows that in most frequency ranges, the numerical computation agreed well with the experimental data and analytical...

Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry methods, especially ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection and high-resolution accurate-mass multistage mass spectrometry (UHPLC-DAD-HRAM/MS n ), have become the tool-of-the-trade for profiling flavonoids in foods. However, manually processing acquired UHPLC-DAD-HRAM/MS n data for flavonoid analysis is very challenging and highly expertise-dependent due to the complexities of the chemical structures of the flavonoids and the food matrixes. A computational expert data analysis program, FlavonQ-2.0v, has been developed to facilitate this process. The program first uses UV-vis spectra for an initial stepwise classification of flavonoids into classes and then identifies individual flavonoids in each class based on their mass spectra. Step-wise identification of flavonoid classes is based on a UV-vis spectral library compiled from 146 flavonoid reference standards and a novel chemometric model that uses stepwise strategy and projected distance resolution (PDR) method. Further identification of the flavonoids in each class is based on an in-house database that contains 5686 flavonoids analyzed in-house or previously reported in the literature. Quantitation is based on the UV-vis spectra. The stepwise classification strategy to identify classes significantly improved the performance of the program and resulted in more accurate and reliable classification results. The program was validated by analyzing data from a variety of samples, including mixed flavonoid standards, blueberry, mizuna, purple mustard, red cabbage, and red mustard green. Accuracies of identification for all samples were above 88%. FlavonQ-2.0v greatly facilitates the identification and quantitation of flavonoids from UHPLC-HRAM-MS n data. It saves time and resources and allows less experienced people to analyze the data.

To evaluate the diagnostic value of contrast (SonoVue(®)) enhancement ultrasonography (CEUS) and to compare this method with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluating liver masses. CEUS (n=50), CT (n=47), and MRI (n=43) were performed on 50 liver masses in 48 patients for baseline mass haracterization. The most likely impression for each modality and the final diagnosis, based on the combined biopsy results (n=14), angiography findings (n=36), and clinical course, were determined. The diagnostic value of CEUS was compared to those of CT and MRI. The final diagnosis of the masses was hepatocellular carcinoma (n=43), hemangioma (n=3), benign adenoma (n=2), eosinophilic abscess (n=1), and liver metastasis (n=1). The overall diagnostic agreement with the final diagnosis was substantial for CEUS, CT, and MRI, with κ values of 0.621, 0.763, and 0.784, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 83.3%, 87.5%, and 84.0%, respectively, for CEUS; 95.0%, 87.5%, and 93.8%, respectively, for CT; and 94.6%, 83.3%, and 93.0%, respectively for MRI. After excluding the lesions with poor acoustic sonographic windows, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for CEUS were 94.6%, 87.5%, and 93.3%, respectively, with a κ value of 0.765. If an appropriate acoustic window is available, CEUS is comparable to CT and MRI for the diagnosis of liver masses.

To review the current developments in staged abdominal re-operation for abdominal trauma. To overview the steps of damage control laparotomy. The ever increasing importance of the resuscitation phase with current intensive care unit (ICU) support techniques should be emphasized. General surgeons should be familiar to staged abdominal re-operation for abdominal trauma and collaborate with ICU teams, interventional radiologists and several other specialties to overcome this entity.

The purpose of this study was to optimize the monitoring dose, obtained using the conventional filtered back projection (FBP) method and iterative reconstruction algorithms, for the bolus tracking technique. A phantom study was performed to assess the effect of the scan start time in patients grouped according to different body weights. An oval torso phantom was used for simulating the time enhancement curve of the bolus tracking technique. To reproduce image noise levels in the two body weight groups, the phantom diameter was adjusted with a water-equivalent material. The tube currents were 10, 20, 30, and 50 mA. The monitoring scan was performed with the conventional FBP method and real-time adaptive iterative dose reduction by three-dimensional processing (AIDR 3D). The results at different doses were compared with those at 50 mA. The volume computed tomography dose index was 1.31, 2.65, 3.93, and 6.56 mGy at tube currents of 10, 20, 30, and 50 mA, respectively. The scan start time, reconstructed using FBP, was significantly faster at 10 and 20 mA in group A (50-59 kg) and at 20 mA in group B (≥80 kg). The CT values in the region of interest could not be measured at 10 mA because of artifacts. With real-time AIDR 3D, both groups showed no significant differences between the measurements obtained at 30 or 20 mA and those obtained at 50 mA. Our study demonstrated that the real-time AIDR 3D algorithm improved the accuracy of the CT measurements with the bolus tracking technique.

Discussion: One of the concerns with temporary abdominal closure is retraction of the fascia. We report three cases where the fascia and abdominal wall were placed on weighted traction, which allowed for retention of abdominal domain and delayed primary closure without grafts or mesh. This approach adds to the options available to aid in closure of the complex abdomen.

Endometriosis of abdominal wall is a rare entity wi ch frequently appears after gynecological surgery. Case history includes three cases of parietal endometriosis wi ch were treated in Maciel Hospital of Montevideo. The report refers to etiological diagnostic aspects and highlights the importance of total resection in order to achieve definitive healing

Full Text Available ... to help diagnose the cause of abdominal or pelvic pain and diseases of the internal organs, small bowel and colon, such as: infections such as appendicitis , pyelonephritis or infected fluid collections, also known as abscesses. inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's ...

Educational Objectives and Key Points. 1. Given that abdominal hernias are a frequent imaging finding, radiologists not only are required to interpret the appearances of abdominal hernias but also should be comfortable with identifying associated complications and postrepair findings. 2. CT is the imaging modality of choice for the assessment of a known adult abdominal hernia in both elective and acute circumstances because of rapid acquisition, capability of multiplanar reconstruction, good spatial resolution, and anatomic depiction with excellent sensitivity for most complications. 3. Ultrasound is useful for adult groin assessment and is the imaging modality of choice for pediatric abdominal wall hernia assessment, whereas MRI is beneficial when there is reasonable concern that a patient\\'s symptoms could be attributable to a hernia or a musculoskeletal source. 4. Fluoroscopic herniography is a sensitive radiologic investigation for patients with groin pain in whom a hernia is suspected but in whom a hernia cannot be identified at physical examination. 5. The diagnosis of an internal hernia not only is a challenging clinical diagnosis but also can be difficult to diagnose with imaging: Closed-loop small-bowel obstruction and abnormally located bowel loops relative to normally located small bowel or colon should prompt assessment for an internal hernia.

Full Text Available ... as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease , pancreatitis or liver cirrhosis. cancers of the liver, kidneys, pancreas, ovaries and bladder as well as ... injuries to abdominal organs such as the spleen, liver, kidneys or other internal organs in cases of ...

Full Text Available ... exams and ultrasound are preferred for evaluation of acute abdominal conditions in babies, such as vomiting or blood in stool. For some conditions, including but not limited to some liver, kidney, pancreatic, uterine or ovarian abnormalities, the evaluation and diagnosis ...

Full Text Available ... appendicitis is the most common reason for emergency abdominal surgery. Ultrasound imaging can also: help a physician determine the source of abdominal pain, such as gallstones, kidney stones, abscesses or ...

Full Text Available ... particularly valuable for evaluating abdominal, pelvic or scrotal pain in children. Preparation will depend on the type ... help a physician determine the source of abdominal pain, such as gallstones, kidney stones, abscesses or an ...

Abdominal laparoscopy is a useful aid in diagnosing disease or trauma in the abdominal cavity with less scarring than ... as liver and pancreatic resections may begin with laparoscopy to exclude the presence of additional tumors (metastatic ...

Full Text Available ... Except for traumatic injury, appendicitis is the most common reason for emergency abdominal surgery. Ultrasound imaging can also: help a physician determine the source of abdominal pain, such as gallstones, kidney stones, ...

We make use of the global symmetries of the Yang-Mills theory on the lattice to design a new computational strategy for extracting glueball masses and matrix elements which achieves an exponential reduction of the statistical error with respect to standard techniques. By generalizing our previous work on the parity symmetry, the partition function of the theory is decomposed into a sum of path integrals each giving the contribution from multiplets of states with fixed quantum numbers associated to parity, charge conjugation, translations, rotations and central conjugations Z_N^3. Ratios of path integrals and correlation functions can then be computed with a multi-level Monte Carlo integration scheme whose numerical cost, at a fixed statistical precision and at asymptotically large times, increases power-like with the time extent of the lattice. The strategy is implemented for the SU(3) Yang--Mills theory, and a full-fledged computation of the mass and multiplicity of the lightest glueball with vacuum quantum ...

This study examines the simultaneous effects of heat and mass transfer on the three-dimensional boundary layer flow of viscous fluid between two infinite parallel plates. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and thermal radiation effects are present. The governing problems are first modeled and then solved by homotopy analysis method (HAM). Influence of several embedded parameters on the velocity, concentration and temperature fields are described.

textabstractAlthough blunt abdominal trauma is frequent, traumatic abdominal wall hernias (TAWH) are rare. We describe a large TAWH with associated intra-abdominal lesions that were caused by high-energy trauma. The diagnosis was missed by clinical examination but was subsequently revealed by a

To compare the diagnostic performance and radiation dose between contrast-enhanced CT (ECT) alone, and combined unenhanced and contrast-enhanced CT (UE + ECT) for the assessment of adnexal mass. This retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Review Board. A total of 146 consecutive patients (mean age, 41.1 years) who underwent preoperative unenhanced and contrast-enhanced multidetector CT of the pelvis and had adnexal masses found at surgery were included. Two readers independently evaluated the likelihood of adnexal malignancy on a 5-point scale on two different imaging datasets (ECT alone and UE + ECT). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate diagnostic performance. Radiation dose to patients was calculated by the volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and the dose length products (DLP) on each dataset. Of the total 178 adnexal masses, 133 masses were benign and 45 masses were malignant. For both readers, there is no significant difference of AUC values between ECT alone and UE + ECT for the detection of adnexal malignancy (reader 1, 0.93 vs. 0.95; reader 2, 0.92 vs. 0.91) (p > 0.05). The mean CTDIvol (12.6 ± 2.2 mGy) and DLP (641.2 ± 137.2 mGy) of ECT alone was significantly lower than the mean CTDIvol (21.5 ± 2.7 mGy) and DLP (923.6 ± 158.8 mGy) of UE + ECT (p < 0.0001). The use of unenhanced CT scan in addition to contrast-enhanced CT scan does not improve the detection of adnexal malignancy, but increases radiation exposure.

Presents a study of 156 California eighth grade students which contrasted their recreational and intellectual computer use in terms of academic performance and use of other media. Among the conclusions were that recreational users watched television heavily and performed poorly in school, whereas intellectual users watched less television,…

Computer-aided Knudsen cell mass spectrometry is used for the thermodynamic investigations on ternary Au-Co-Pd melts over the entire range of composition. The 'digital intensity-ratio' (DIR)-method has been applied for the determination of the thermodynamic excess quantities, and the ternary thermodynamically adapted power (TAP) series concept is used for algebraic representation of the thermodynamic mixing behavior. The corresponding TAP parameters as well as the values of the molar excess Gibbs energies G E , of the molar heats of mixing H E , of the molar excess entropies S E , and of the thermodynamic activities at 1800 K are presented.

Full Text Available Introduction: As an alternative to DNA microarrays, mass spectrometry based analysis of proteomic patterns has shown great potential in cancer diagnosis. The ultimate application of this technique in clinical settings relies on the advancement of the technology itself and the maturity of the computational tools used to analyze the data. A number of computational algorithms constructed on different principles are available for the classification of disease status based on proteomic patterns. Nevertheless, few studies have addressed the difference in the performance of these approaches. In this report, we describe a comparative case study on the classification accuracy of hepatocellular carcinoma based on the serum proteomic pattern generated from a Surface Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization (SELDI mass spectrometer.Methods: Nine supervised classifi cation algorithms are implemented in R software and compared for the classification accuracy.Results: We found that the support vector machine with radial function is preferable as a tool for classification of hepatocellular carcinoma using features in SELDI mass spectra. Among the rest of the methods, random forest and prediction analysis of microarrays have better performance. A permutation-based technique reveals that the support vector machine with a radial function seems intrinsically superior in learning from the training data since it has a lower prediction error than others when there is essentially no differential signal. On the other hand, the performance of the random forest and prediction analysis of microarrays rely on their capability of capturing the signals with substantial differentiation between groups.Conclusions: Our finding is similar to a previous study, where classification methods based on the Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI mass spectrometry are compared for the prediction accuracy of ovarian cancer. The support vector machine, random forest and prediction

Mass estimates of galaxy clusters from X-ray and Sunyeav-Zel'dovich observations assume the intracluster gas is in hydrostatic equilibrium with their gravitational potential. However, since galaxy clusters are dynamically active objects whose dynamical states can deviate significantly from the equilibrium configuration, the departure from the hydrostatic equilibrium assumption is one of the largest sources of systematic uncertainties in cluster cosmology. In the literature there has been two ...

Full Text Available Impingement cooling has been widely employed to cool gas turbine hot components such as combustor liners, combustor transition pieces, turbine vanes, and blades. A promising technology is proposed to enhance impingement cooling with water droplets injection. However, previous studies were conducted on blade shower head film cooling, and less attention was given to the transition piece cooling. As a continuous effort to develop a realistic mist impingement cooling scheme, this paper focuses on simulating mist impingement cooling under typical gas turbine operating conditions of high temperature and pressure in a double chamber model. Furthermore, the paper presents the effect of cooling effectiveness by changing the mass and size of the droplets. Based on the heat-mass transfer analogy, the results of these experiments prove that the mass of 3E – 3 kg/s droplets with diameters of 5–35 μm could enhance 90% cooling effectiveness and reduce 122 K of wall temperature. The results of this paper can provide guidance for corresponding experiments and serve as the qualification reference for future more complicated studies with convex surface cooling.

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mass spectrometry has become the analytical method of choice in metabolomics research. The identification of unknown compounds is the main bottleneck. In addition to the precursor mass, tandem MS spectra carry informative fragment peaks, but the coverage of spectral libraries of measured reference compounds are far from covering the complete chemical space. Compound libraries such as PubChem or KEGG describe a larger number of compounds, which can be used to compare their in silico fragmentation with spectra of unknown metabolites. Results We created the MetFrag suite to obtain a candidate list from compound libraries based on the precursor mass, subsequently ranked by the agreement between measured and in silico fragments. In the evaluation MetFrag was able to rank most of the correct compounds within the top 3 candidates returned by an exact mass query in KEGG. Compared to a previously published study, MetFrag obtained better results than the commercial MassFrontier software. Especially for large compound libraries, the candidates with a good score show a high structural similarity or just different stereochemistry, a subsequent clustering based on chemical distances reduces this redundancy. The in silico fragmentation requires less than a second to process a molecule, and MetFrag performs a search in KEGG or PubChem on average within 30 to 300 seconds, respectively, on an average desktop PC. Conclusions We presented a method that is able to identify small molecules from tandem MS measurements, even without spectral reference data or a large set of fragmentation rules. With today's massive general purpose compound libraries we obtain dozens of very similar candidates, which still allows a confident estimate of the correct compound class. Our tool MetFrag improves the identification of unknown substances from tandem MS spectra and delivers better results than comparable commercial software. MetFrag is available through a web

Although the number of elective operations for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) is increasing, the sex- and age-standardised mortality rate of AAAs continues to rise, especially among men aged 65 years or more. The lethality of ruptured AAA continues to be 80-95%, compared with 5-7% by elective surgery of symptomfree AAA. In order to fulfil all WHO, European, and Danish criteria for screening, a randomised hospitalbased screening trial of 12,639 65-73 year old men in Viborg County (Denmark) was initiated in 1994. It seemed that US screening is a valid, suitable and acceptable method of screening. The acceptance rate was 77%, and 95% accept control scans. Furthermore, persons at the highest risk of having an AAA attend screening more frequently. We found that 97% of the interval cases developed from aortas that initially measured 2.5-2.9 cm - i.e. approx. only 5% attenders need re-screening at 5-year intervals. Two large RCTs have given clear indications of operation. Survivors of surgery enjoy the same quality of life as the background population, and only 2-5% of patients refuse an offer of surgery. Early detection seems relevant since the cardiovascular mortality is more than 4 times higher in AAA patients without previous hospital discharge diagnoses due to cardiovascular disease than among similar men without AAA. The absolute risk difference after 5 years was 16%. So, they will benefit from general cardiovascular preventive action as smoking cessation, statins and low-dose aspirin, which could inhibit further AAA progression. All 4 existing RCTs point in the same direction, viz. in favour of screening of men aged 65 and above. We found that screening significantly reduced AAA-related mortality by 67% within the first five years (NNT = 352). Restriction of screening to men with previous cardiovascular or pulmonary hospital discharge diagnoses would request only 27% of the relevant male population study to be invited, but would only have prevented 46.7% of the

Full Text Available BACKGROUND In the recent times there has been increased incidence of abdominal trauma cases due to several causes. Quick and prompt intervention is needed to decrease the mortality of the patients. So we conducted a study to assess the cause and the management of abdominal trauma cases in our institution. The aim of this study was to know the incidence of blunt and penetrating injuries and their causes, age and sex incidence, importance of various investigations, mode of treatment offered and post-operative complications. To study the cause of death and evolve better management. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study comprises of patients admitted to and operated in various surgical units in the Department of Surgery at Government General Hospital, attached to Guntur Medical College Guntur, from August 2014 to October 2016. RESULTS Increase incidence seen in age group 20-29 years (30%. Male predominance 77.5%. Mechanism of injury–road traffic accidents 65%. Isolated organ injury–colon and rectum 40%. Other associated injuries–chest injuries with rib fractures 7.5%. Complications–wound infection 17.5%. Duration of hospital stay 8–14 days. Bowel injury management–closure of perforation 84.6%. Resection anastomosis 15.38%. CONCLUSION Thorough clinical examination, diagnostic paracentesis, plain X-ray erect abdomen and ultrasound proved to be very helpful in the diagnosis of intra-abdominal injuries. Spleen is the commonest organ involved in blunt trauma and colon is the commonly injured organ in penetrating abdominal trauma, many patients have associated extremity and axial skeleton injuries. With advances in diagnosis and intensive care technologies, most patients of solid visceral injuries with hemodynamic stability can be managed conservatively. Surgical site infection is the most common complication following surgery. The mortality is high; reason might be patient reaching the hospital late, high incidence of postoperative septic

In the last decade, laparoscopy has been the most innovative surgical movement in general surgery. Minimally invasive surgery performed through a few small incisions, laparoscopy is the standard of care for the treatment of gallbladder disease and the gold standard for the treatment of reflux disease. The indications for a laparoscopic approach to abdominal disease continue to increase, and many diseases may be treated with laparoscopic techniques. At Ochsner, laparoscopic techniques have dem...

Abdominal catastrophe is a serious clinical condition, usually being a complication arising during treatment of intraabdominal nontraumatic disorders or abdominal injuries. Most commonly, inflamation- secondary peritonitis, is concerned. Abdominal catastrophe also includes secondary signs of sepsis, abdominal compartment syndrome and enterocutaneous fistules. Most septic abdominal disorders which show signs of abdominal catastrophy, require surgical intervention and reinterventions--planned or "on demand" laparotomies. During the postoperative period, the patient requires intensive care management, including steps taken to stabilize his/hers condition, management of sepsis and metabolic and nutritional support measures, as well as adequate indication for reoperations. New technologies aimed at prevention of complications in laparostomies and to improve conditions for final laparotomy closure are used in phase procedures for surgical management of intraabdominal infections. Despite the new technologies, abdominal catastrophe has higher morbidity and lethality risk rates.

Full Text Available Abdominal elephantiasis is a rare entity. Abdominal elephantiasis is an uncommon, but deformative and progressive cutaneous disease caused by chronic lymphedema and recurrent streptococcal or Staphylococcus infections of the abdominal wall. We present 3 cases of patients with morbid obesity who presented to our hospital with abdominal wall swelling, thickening, erythema, and pain. The abdominal wall and legs were edematous, with cobblestone-like, thickened, hyperpigmented, and fissured plaques on the abdomen. Two patients had localised areas of skin erythema, tenderness, and increased warmth. There was purulent drainage from the abdominal wall in one patient. They were managed with antibiotics with some initial improvement. Meticulous skin care and local keratolytic treatment for the lesions were initiated with limited success due to their late presentation. All three patients refused surgical therapy. Conclusion. Early diagnosis is important for the treatment of abdominal elephantiasis and prevention of complications.

Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the reliability of virtually estimated abdominal blood volume using segmentation from postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) data. Materials and methods: Twenty-one cases with free abdominal blood were investigated by PMCT and autopsy. The volume of the blood was estimated using a manual segmentation technique (Amira, Visage Imaging, Germany) and the results were compared to autopsy data. Six of 21 cases had undergone additional post-mortem computed tomographic angiography (PMCTA). Results: The virtually estimated abdominal blood volumes did not differ significantly from those measured at autopsy. Additional PMCTA did not bias data significantly. Conclusion: Virtual estimation of abdominal blood volume is a reliable technique. The virtual blood volume estimation is a useful tool to deliver additional information in cases where autopsy is not performed or in cases where a postmortem angiography is performed

Malignant transformation is an infrequent complication of endometriosis. As endometriosis is an ectopic endometrium, hyperestrogenism may cause hyperplasia or transformation into cancer. We describe a case of a 68-year-old woman who underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingooophorectomy for endometriosis. She was subsequently placed on estrogen only replacement therapy. She presented with left-sided pelvic mass and shortness of breath. Computed tomography of chest, pelvis and abdomen, demonstrated right-sided pleural effusion and soft tissue mass in the pelvis. Pleural effusion was tapped and biopsy from the peritoneal mass showed metastatic adenocarcinoma. She was treated by 6 cycles of Carboplatin/Paclitexal and responded well. Unopposed estrogen stimulation may lead to malignant transformation in the residual foci of endometriosis. Therefore, the addition of progestins to estrogen replacement therapy should be considered in women who have undergone hysterectomy with oophorectomy due to endometriosis. (author)

calculi were seen. The gynaecology team ruled out pelvic inflammatory disease. The Surgery Unit requested a computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and a sputum specimen for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis (no record of the latter could, however, be found). The CT scan confirmed the mass in the region of the ileo-.

Left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) volumetric and functional parameters are important biomarkers for morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure. To retrospectively determine reference mean values of LV and RV volume, function and mass normalised by age, gender and body surface area (BSA) from retrospectively electrocardiographically gated 64-slice cardiac computed tomography (CCT) by using automated analysis software in healthy adults. The study was approved by the institutional review board with a waiver of informed consent. Seventy-four healthy subjects (49% female, mean age 49.6±11) free of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia with a normal CCT formed the study population. Analyses of LV and RV volume (end-diastolic, end-systolic and stroke volumes), function (ejection fraction), LV mass and inter-rater reproducibility were performed with commercially available analysis software capable of automated contour detection. General linear model analysis was performed to assess statistical significance by age group after adjustment for gender and BSA. Bland–Altman analysis assessed the inter-rater agreement. The reference range for LV and RV volume, function, and LV mass was normalised to age, gender and BSA. Statistically significant differences were noted between genders in both LV mass and RV volume (P-value<0.0001). Age, in concert with gender, was associated with significant differences in RV end-diastolic volume and LV ejection fraction (P-values 0.027 and 0.03). Bland–Altman analysis showed acceptable limits of agreement (±1.5% for ejection fraction) without systematic error. LV and RV volume, function and mass normalised to age, gender and BSA can be reported from CCT datasets, providing additional information important for patient management.

A computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) system with the ability to predict the probability of malignancy (PM) of a mass can potentially assist radiologists in making correct diagnostic decisions. In this study, we designed a CADx system using logistic regression (LR) as the feature classifier which could estimate the PM of a mass. Our data set included 488 ultrasound (US) images from 250 biopsy-proven breast masses (100 malignant and 150 benign). The data set was divided into two subsets T1 and T2. Two experienced radiologists, R1 and R2, independently provided Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) assessments and PM ratings for data subsets T2 and T1, respectively. An LR classifier was designed to estimate the PM of a mass using two-fold cross validation, in which the data subsets T1 and T2 served once as the training and once as the test set. To evaluate the performance of the system, we compared the PM estimated by the CADx system with radiologists' PM ratings (12-point scale) and BI-RADS assessments (6-point scale). The correlation coefficients between the PM ratings estimated by the radiologists and by the CADx system were 0.71 and 0.72 for data subsets T1 and T2, respectively. For the BI-RADS assessments provided by the radiologists and estimated by the CADx system, the correlation coefficients were 0.60 and 0.67 for data subsets T1 and T2, respectively. Our results indicate that the CADx system may be able to provide not only a malignancy score, but also a more quantitative estimate for the PM of a breast mass.

Full Text Available Epiploic appendagitis (EA is an uncommon cause of abdominal pain. It is a benign condition but may mimic other serious causes of acute abdomen such as appendicitis, diverticulitis, and gynecological emergency in severe cases. Knowledge of this condition in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain can save unnecessary hospital admission, antibiotics, and surgery. In this article, we present the case of a 43-year-old female who presented to our hospital with a 2-day history of right lower quadrant abdominal pain and diarrhea. She was diagnosed with EA with computed tomography of abdomen with contrast and was managed conservatively with good outcome.

Clinical application of positron emission tomography (PET) is rapidly increasing for the detection and staging of cancer at whole-body studies performed with the glucose analogue tracer 2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FG). Although FDG PET cannot match the anatomic resolution of conventional imaging techniques in the liver and the other abdominal organs, it is particularly useful for identification and characterization of the entire body simultaneously. FDG PET can show foci of metastatic disease that may not be apparent at conventional anatomic imaging and can aid in the characterizing of indeterminate soft-tissue masses. Most abdominal cancer requires surgical management. FGD PET can improve the selection of patients for surgical treatment and thereby reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with inappropriate surgery. FDG PET is also useful for the early detection of recurrence and the monitoring of therapeutic effect. The abdominal cancers, such as gastroesophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer and pancreatic cancer, are common malignancies in Korea, and PET is one of the most promising and useful methodologies for the management of abdominal cancers

This TM is one of a pair that describes ORNL-developed software for acquisition and processing of isotope ratio mass spectral data. This TM is directed at the laboratory analyst. No technical knowledge of the programs and programming is required. It describes how to create and edit files, how to acquire and process data, and how to set up files to obtain the desired results. The aim of this TM is to serve as a utilitarian instruction manual, a open-quotes how toclose quotes approach rather than a open-quotes why?close quotes

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mass spectrometry-based proteomics has reached a stage where it is possible to comprehensively analyze the whole proteome of a cell in one experiment. Here, the employment of stable isotopes has become a standard technique to yield relative abundance values of proteins. In recent times, more and more experiments are conducted that depict not only a static image of the up- or down-regulated proteins at a distinct time point but instead compare developmental stages of an organism or varying experimental conditions. Results Although the scientific questions behind these experiments are of course manifold, there are, nevertheless, two questions that commonly arise: 1 which proteins are differentially regulated regarding the selected experimental conditions, and 2 are there groups of proteins that show similar abundance ratios, indicating that they have a similar turnover? We give advice on how these two questions can be answered and comprehensively compare a variety of commonly applied computational methods and their outcomes. Conclusions This work provides guidance through the jungle of computational methods to analyze mass spectrometry-based isotope-labeled datasets and recommends an effective and easy-to-use evaluation strategy. We demonstrate our approach with three recently published datasets on Bacillus subtilis 12 and Corynebacterium glutamicum 3. Special focus is placed on the application and validation of cluster analysis methods. All applied methods were implemented within the rich internet application QuPE 4. Results can be found at http://qupe.cebitec.uni-bielefeld.de.

Highlights: ► Thermodynamic mixing behavior of liquid Au–Fe–Pd alloys over the whole range of composition. ► Experimental investigations by means of the computer-aided Knudsen cell mass spectrometry. ► Algebraic representation of the molar excess properties by TAP series concept. ► The corresponding TAP parameters are presented. ► The values of all molar excess functions, and thermodynamic activities at 1850 K are given. - Abstract: Thermodynamic investigations on liquid ternary Au–Fe–Pd alloys have been performed by means of the computer-aided Knudsen cell mass spectrometry. The “Digital Intensity-Ratio” (DIR) – method has been applied for the determination of the thermodynamic mixing behaviour. The ternary thermodynamically adapted power (TAP) series concept is used for the algebraic representation of the molar excess properties. The corresponding TAP parameters, and the values of the molar excess quantities Z E (Z = Gibbs energy G, heat of mixing H, and entropy S) as well as the thermodynamic activities of all three constituents at 1850 K are presented.

for assessment of vascularity. CT perfusion has also been used for tumor characterization, staging of disease, response evaluation of newer drugs targeted towards angiogenesis and as a method for early detection of recurrence after radiation and embolization. There are several software solutions available...

Full Text Available Publications of recent years do not reflect the regional dynamics of hospitalization of patients with acute surgical pathology of the abdominal cavity and anterior abdominal wall. Goal – to determine the volume of hospitalizations and treatment of patients with acute surgical pathology of the abdominal and anterior abdominal wall in the Kuzbass in the dynamics from 1993 to 2016. Materials and methods. A comparative analysis of the volume of treatment of patients with acute appendicitis, acute cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, intestinal obstruction, perforated ulcer of the stomach and duodenum and strangulated hernia in surgical departments of Kuzbass from 1993 to 2016 to understand the changes occurring in abdominal surgery. Estimated in the comparative aspect for two decades (1993-2002 and 2007-2016 the average annual number of treated. The estimation of indicators in calculation on 100000 population is executed. The statistical processing was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistica computer version 24 and the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test. Result. Statistically significantly decreased the number of patients with acute appendicitis and perforated ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. The average annual hospitalization of patients with acute pancreatitis and strangulated abdominal hernias has significantly increased in the last decade. There are no significant differences in the increase in the total number of patients with acute cholecystitis and acute intestinal obstruction. Conclusions: 1. Over the past decade compared with 1993-2002, the incidence of acute appendicitis per 100000 thousand of the population decreased in the region by 39.9 %, the incidence of perforated gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer by 30.2 %. 2. At this time, the number of people treated with 100000 people with acute pancreatitis increased by 94.7 %; with acute cholecystitis by 12.4 %; with an acute intestinal obstruction by 9.8 % and with a strangulated

A 2D mass transfer model was developed to study carbon dioxide removal by absorption in membrane contactors. The model predicts the steady state absorbent and carbon dioxide concentrations in the membrane by solving the conservation equations. The continuity equations for three sub domains of the membrane contactor involving the tube; membrane and shell were obtained and solved by finite element method (FEM). The model was based on 'non-wetted mode' in which the gas phase filled the membrane pores. Laminar parabolic velocity profile was used for the liquid flow in the tube side; whereas, the gas flow in the shell side was characterized by Happel's free surface model. Axial and radial diffusion transport inside the shell, through the membrane, and within the tube side of the contactor was considered in the mass transfer model. The predictions of percent CO/sub 2/ removal obtained by modeling were compared with the experimental values obtained from literature. They were the experimental results for CO/sub 2/ removal from CO/sub 2//N/sub 2/ gas mixture with amines aqueous solutions as the liquid solvent using polypropylene membrane contactor. The modeling predictions were in good agreement with the experimental values for different values of gas and liquid flow rates. (author)

To develop and test a deep learning based computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) scheme of mammograms for classifying between malignant and benign masses. An image dataset involving 560 regions of interest (ROIs) extracted from digital mammograms was used. After down-sampling each ROI from 512×512 to 64×64 pixel size, we applied an 8 layer deep learning network that involves 3 pairs of convolution-max-pooling layers for automatic feature extraction and a multiple layer perceptron (MLP) classifier for feature categorization to process ROIs. The 3 pairs of convolution layers contain 20, 10, and 5 feature maps, respectively. Each convolution layer is connected with a max-pooling layer to improve the feature robustness. The output of the sixth layer is fully connected with a MLP classifier, which is composed of one hidden layer and one logistic regression layer. The network then generates a classification score to predict the likelihood of ROI depicting a malignant mass. A four-fold cross validation method was applied to train and test this deep learning network. The results revealed that this CAD scheme yields an area under the receiver operation characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.696±0.044, 0.802±0.037, 0.836±0.036, and 0.822±0.035 for fold 1 to 4 testing datasets, respectively. The overall AUC of the entire dataset is 0.790±0.019. This study demonstrates the feasibility of applying a deep learning based CAD scheme to classify between malignant and benign breast masses without a lesion segmentation, image feature computation and selection process.

The presence of a fatty liver often complicates the interpretation of abdominalcomputed tomography (CT). Abnormalities in or adjacent to the liver, including dilated bile ducts, liver masses and subphrenic collections, may be masked by the fatty liver. Furthermore, normal structures may simulate pathological conditions. Five cases are presented to illustrate some of these diagnostic pitfalls. (authors)

The level of inter-observer agreement of abdominalcomputed tomography (CT) in unselected patients presenting with acute abdominal pain at the Emergency Department (ED) was evaluated. Two hundred consecutive patients with acute abdominal pain were prospectively included. Multi-slice CT was performed in all patients with intravenous contrast medium only. Three radiologists independently read all CT examinations. They recorded specific radiological features and a final diagnosis on a case record form. We calculated the proportion of agreement and kappa values, for overall, urgent and frequently occurring diagnoses. The mean age of the evaluated patients was 46 years (range 19-94), of which 54% were women. Overall agreement on diagnoses was good, with a median kappa of 0.66. Kappa values for specific urgent diagnoses were excellent, with median kappa values of 0.84, 0.90 and 0.81, for appendicitis, diverticulitis and bowel obstruction, respectively. Abdominal CT has good inter-observer agreement in unselected patients with acute abdominal pain at the ED, with excellent agreement for specific urgent diagnoses as diverticulitis and appendicitis. (orig.)

The level of inter-observer agreement of abdominalcomputed tomography (CT) in unselected patients presenting with acute abdominal pain at the Emergency Department (ED) was evaluated. Two hundred consecutive patients with acute abdominal pain were prospectively included. Multi-slice CT was performed in all patients with intravenous contrast medium only. Three radiologists independently read all CT examinations. They recorded specific radiological features and a final diagnosis on a case record form. We calculated the proportion of agreement and kappa values, for overall, urgent and frequently occurring diagnoses. The mean age of the evaluated patients was 46 years (range 19-94), of which 54% were women. Overall agreement on diagnoses was good, with a median kappa of 0.66. Kappa values for specific urgent diagnoses were excellent, with median kappa values of 0.84, 0.90 and 0.81, for appendicitis, diverticulitis and bowel obstruction, respectively. Abdominal CT has good inter-observer agreement in unselected patients with acute abdominal pain at the ED, with excellent agreement for specific urgent diagnoses as diverticulitis and appendicitis. (orig.)

This report describes in some detail the operation of newly written programs that acquire and process isotopic mass spectrometric data. Both functional and overall design aspects are addressed. The three basic program units - file manipulation, data acquisition, and data processing - are discussed in turn. Step-by-step instructions are included where appropriate, and each subsection is described in enough detail to give a clear picture of its function. Organization of the file structure, which is central to the entire concept, is extensively discussed with the help of numerous tables. Appendices contain flow charts and definitions of variables to help a programmer unfamiliar with the programs to alter them with a minimum of lost time. 12 figures, 17 tables.

The gamma ray mass attenuation coefficients of ten synthetic polymeric materials, namely, polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polypropylene (PP) and Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) have been calculated using second order polynomial equation and logarithmic interpolation formula at selected gamma photon energies, in the energy range starting from 14.4 keV up to 1332 keV. It is important to note that second order polynomial equation fits very well with NIST data for all the polymeric materials considered here, for gamma photon energies ranging from 300 keV up to 2000 keV. Third order polynomial fitting is best suited for lower gamma photon energies (from 10 keV up to 200 keV).

Ion-molecule reactions of Me2S2 with a wide range of aliphatic carbanions differing by structure and proton affinity values have been studied in the gas phase using mass spectrometry techniques and DFT calculations. The analysis of the spectra shows a variety of product ions formed via different reaction mechanisms, depending on the structure and proton affinity of the carbanion. Product ions of thiophilic reaction ( m/z 47), SN2 ( m/z 79), and E2 elimination - addition sequence of reactions ( m/z 93) can be observed. Primary products of thiophilic reaction can undergo subsequent SN2 and proton transfer reactions. Gibbs free energy profiles calculated for experimentally observed reactions using PBE0/6-311+G(2d,p) method show good agreement with experimental results.

A post-translational modification (PTM) is a chemical modification of a protein that occurs naturally. Many of these modifications, such as phosphorylation, are known to play pivotal roles in the regulation of protein function. Henceforth, PTM perturbations have been linked to diverse diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes and cancer. To discover PTMs on a genome-wide scale, there is a recent surge of interest in analyzing tandem mass spectrometry data, and several unrestrictive (so-called 'blind') PTM search methods have been reported. However, these approaches are subject to noise in mass measurements and in the predicted modification site (amino acid position) within peptides, which can result in false PTM assignments. To address these issues, we devised a machine learning algorithm, PTMClust, that can be applied to the output of blind PTM search methods to improve prediction quality, by suppressing noise in the data and clustering peptides with the same underlying modification to form PTM groups. We show that our technique outperforms two standard clustering algorithms on a simulated dataset. Additionally, we show that our algorithm significantly improves sensitivity and specificity when applied to the output of three different blind PTM search engines, SIMS, InsPecT and MODmap. Additionally, PTMClust markedly outperforms another PTM refinement algorithm, PTMFinder. We demonstrate that our technique is able to reduce false PTM assignments, improve overall detection coverage and facilitate novel PTM discovery, including terminus modifications. We applied our technique to a large-scale yeast MS/MS proteome profiling dataset and found numerous known and novel PTMs. Accurately identifying modifications in protein sequences is a critical first step for PTM profiling, and thus our approach may benefit routine proteomic analysis. Our algorithm is implemented in Matlab and is freely available for academic use. The software is available online from http://genes.toronto.edu.

Abdominal cocoon syndrome, or sclerosing peritonitis, is a rare condition characterized by encasement of small bowel loops by a thick fibrous scar. It most commonly presents as nonspecific vague chronic abdominal pain and weight loss, and is difficult to recognize clinically until the patient develops symptoms of bowel obstruction. We present a case of abdominal cocoon syndrome in a 65-year-old female and describe its clinical, imaging, and pathologic features.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is the application of numerical methods to solve systems of partial differential equations related to fluid dynamics. The continuity and the momentum equations are the most commonly applied equations within CFD, and together they can be used to calculate...... the velocity and pressure distributions in a fluid. CFD also enables the modelling of several fluids simultaneously, e.g. gas bubbles in a liquid, as well as the presence of turbulence and dissolved chemicals in a fluid, and many other phenomena. This makes CFD an appreciated tool for studying flow structures...... and an ion-exchange reaction are also modelled and compared to experimental data. The thesis includes a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals behind a CFD software, as well as a more detailed review of the fluid dynamic phenomena investigated in this project. The momentum and continuity equations...

Dissections due to deceleration trauma are rarely limited to the infradiaphragmal aorta (only 2-3%) and are usually lethal. Here we report the unusual course of an abdominal aortic dissection with aneurysmatic enlargement of the false lumen. Based on diagnostic imaging, a therapeutic stent application was planed in order to close the entry and to prevent rupture. During the intervention sondation of the false lumen revealed that the left renal artery had a reentry. Due to the complexity of the entry - reentry situation of the left renal artery the intervention was not possible, and the patient had to undergo vascular surgery. (orig.) [de

The goal of this study was to identify patients who need longer care in the ICU (more than 48 hours) following abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) surgery and to evaluate the influence of perioperative complications on short- and long-term survival and quality of life. AAA surgery was performed in 553......, 78% stated that their quality of life had improved or was unchanged after surgery and had resumed working. These data justify a therapeutically aggressive approach, including ICU therapy following AAA surgery, despite failure of one or more organ systems....

The authors describe three cases of intraabdominal fibromathosis: two cases with intraperithoneal location and another one with retroperithoneal location. All of them are benign noncapsulated tumours of the fibrous tissue with tendancy to local recurrence. Abdominal fibromathosis may determine any form of acute or chronic digestive manifestations. Only to the accuracy of the histo-pathological examination is due the diagnosis between fibromathosis and fibrosarcoma, reactive fibrosis, mixoma and nodular fasceitis. The surgical excision must not be economical and the association with radiant therapy must also be considered.

External abdominal hernia occurs when abdominal organs or tissues leave their normal anatomic site and protrude outside the skin through the congenital or acquired weakness, defects or holes on the abdominal wall, including inguinal hernia, umbilical hernia, femoral hernia and so on. Acute incarcerated hernia is a common surgical emergency. With advances in minimally invasive devices and techniques, the diagnosis and treatment have witnessed major changes, such as the use of laparoscopic surg...

Full Text Available Deposition of perirenal adipose tissue has been associated with adverse renal and cardiovascular events. We compared various methods to measure perirenal adipose tissue using computerized tomography (CT-scan and performed correlations with anthropometric measures associated with renal and cardiovascular events. Voluntary overweight and obese subjects undergoing a CT-scan for diagnostic purposes were included in the study. Perirenal adipose tissue volume, adipose tissue area of the renal sinus and perirenal fat thickness were manually measured bilaterally. The intra- and inter-observer coefficient correlations and the correlation between the diverse measures of renal adipose tissue, subcutaneous (SC-fat and anthropometrics measures were analyzed using Pearson's correlation tests. The forty included patients (24 men, 16 women had a mean age of 57.6 ± 18.1 years and a mean body mass index of 28.9 ± 2.9 kg/m2. Despite comparable waist circumference, women had a greater SC-fat thickness compared to men, and therefore a smaller amount of visceral fat, as well as smaller perirenal fat volumes. Perirenal fat thickness was better correlated with perirenal fat volume than adipose area of the renal sinus (p <0.02. The adipose area of the renal sinus did not correlate with any anthropometric measures. In women, perirenal fat volume and thickness showed a negative correlation with SC-fat thickness and no correlation with waist circumference. In men, perirenal fat volume and thickness showed a positive correlation with waist circumference and no correlation with subcutaneous fat thickness. In conclusion, perirenal fat thickness measured with CT-scan at the level of the renal veins is a simple and reliable estimate of perirenal fat volume, that correlated negatively with SC-fat in women and positively with waist circumference in men. The adipose area of the renal sinus did not correlate with any anthropometric measure.

Deposition of perirenal adipose tissue has been associated with adverse renal and cardiovascular events. We compared various methods to measure perirenal adipose tissue using computerized tomography (CT)-scan and performed correlations with anthropometric measures associated with renal and cardiovascular events. Voluntary overweight and obese subjects undergoing a CT-scan for diagnostic purposes were included in the study. Perirenal adipose tissue volume, adipose tissue area of the renal sinus and perirenal fat thickness were manually measured bilaterally. The intra- and inter-observer coefficient correlations and the correlation between the diverse measures of renal adipose tissue, subcutaneous (SC-)fat and anthropometrics measures were analyzed using Pearson's correlation tests. The forty included patients (24 men, 16 women) had a mean age of 57.6 ± 18.1 years and a mean body mass index of 28.9 ± 2.9 kg/m2. Despite comparable waist circumference, women had a greater SC-fat thickness compared to men, and therefore a smaller amount of visceral fat, as well as smaller perirenal fat volumes. Perirenal fat thickness was better correlated with perirenal fat volume than adipose area of the renal sinus (p perirenal fat volume and thickness showed a negative correlation with SC-fat thickness and no correlation with waist circumference. In men, perirenal fat volume and thickness showed a positive correlation with waist circumference and no correlation with subcutaneous fat thickness. In conclusion, perirenal fat thickness measured with CT-scan at the level of the renal veins is a simple and reliable estimate of perirenal fat volume, that correlated negatively with SC-fat in women and positively with waist circumference in men. The adipose area of the renal sinus did not correlate with any anthropometric measure.

Full Text Available An 11-year-old male German Shepherd dog presented for inappetence and weight loss. Physical examination and initial bloodwork revealed palpable abdominalmasses, mild non-regenerative anemia and thrombocytopenia. Survey radiography and abdominal ultrasonography confirmed the presence of bilateral abdominalmasses and lymphadenopathy. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT was performed in order to further investigate the origin of the intraabdominal masses, confirming two enlarged cryptorchid testes, one of which had an associated CT whirl sign. Histopathology of the testes and lymph nodes revealed bilateral malignant Sertoli cell tumors and seminomas with lymph node metastasis of both neoplasms. The purpose of this case report is to discuss the benefits of CT in the diagnosis of cryptorchid testes and describe an additional organ that may display CT whirl sign.

Full Text Available "Peritonitis fibrosa incapsulata", first described in 1907, is a condition characterized by encasement of the bowel with a thick fibrous membrane. This condition was renamed as "abdominal cocoon" in 1978. It presents as small bowel obstruction clinically. 35 cases of abdominal cocoon have been reported in the literature over the last three decades. Abdominal cocoon is more common in adolescent girls from tropical countries. Various etiologies have been described, including tubercular. It is treated surgically by releasing the entrapped bowel. We report a laparoscopic experience of tubercular abdominal cocoon and review the literature.

Visceral adiposity is considered to have a key role in cardiometabolic diseases. The purpose of this study is to investigate cross-sectionally the association between intra-abdominal fat area (IAFA) measured by computed tomography (CT) and high blood pressure independent of abdominal subcutaneous fat area (ASFA) and insulin resistance. Study participants included 624 Japanese men not taking oral hypoglycemic medications or insulin. Abdominal, thoracic and thigh fat areas were measured by CT. Total fat area (TFA) was calculated as the sum of abdominal, thoracic and thigh fat area. Total subcutaneous fat area (TSFA) was defined as TFA minus IAFA. Hypertension and high normal blood pressure were defined using the 1999 criteria of the World Health Organization. Multiple-adjusted odds ratios of hypertension for tertiles of IAFA were 2.64 (95% confidence interval, 1.35-5.16) for tertile 2, and 5.08 (2.48-10.39) for tertile 3, compared with tertile 1 after adjusting for age, fasting immunoreactive insulin, diabetes status, ASFA, alcohol consumption, regular physical exercise and smoking habit. IAFA remained significantly associated with hypertension even after adjustment for ASFA, TSFA, TFA, body mass index or waist circumference, and no other measure of regional or total adiposity was associated with the odds of hypertension in models, which included IAFA. Similar results were obtained for the association between IAFA and the prevalence of high normal blood pressure or hypertension. In conclusion, greater visceral adiposity was associated with a higher odds of high blood pressure in Japanese men. (author)

Full Text Available ... images. These images can be viewed on a computer monitor, printed on film or transferred to a ... other in a ring, called a gantry. The computer workstation that processes the imaging information is located ...

Full Text Available ... ring, called a gantry. The computer workstation that processes the imaging information is located in a separate ... follows a spiral path. A special computer program processes this large volume of data to create two- ...

Advances in treatment of acute lymphocytic leukemia increased the likelihood of developing late treatment-associated effects, such as abdominal adiposity, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease in this population. Cranial radiotherapy is one of the factors that might be involved in this process. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of cranial radiotherapy on adiposity indexes in survivors of acute lymphocytic leukemia. A comparative cross-sectional study of 56 acute lymphocytic leukemia survivors, chronological age between 15 and 24 years, assigned into two groups according to the exposure to cranial radiotherapy (25 irradiated and 31 non-irradiated), assessed according to body fat (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry), computed tomography scan-derived abdominal adipose tissue, lipid profile, and insulin resistance. Cranial radiotherapy increased body fat and abdominal adipose tissue and altered lipid panel. Yet, lipids showed no clinical relevance so far. There were significantly more obese patients among those who received cranial radiotherapy (52% irradiated versus 22.6% non-irradiated), based on dual energy X-ray absorptiometry body fat measurements. Nonetheless, no association was observed between cranial radiotherapy and body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio or insulin resistance. Adolescent and young adult survivors of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia showed an increase in body fat and an alteration of fat distribution, which were related to cranial radiotherapy. Fat compartment modifications possibly indicate a disease of adipose tissue, and cranial radiotherapy imports in this process

Overview In autumn the main focus was to process and handle CRAFT data and to perform the Summer08 MC production. The operational aspects were well covered by regular Computing Shifts, experts on duty and Computing Run Coordination. At the Computing Resource Board (CRB) in October a model to account for service work at Tier 2s was approved. The computing resources for 2009 were reviewed for presentation at the C-RRB. The quarterly resource monitoring is continuing. Facilities/Infrastructure operations Operations during CRAFT data taking ran fine. This proved to be a very valuable experience for T0 workflows and operations. The transfers of custodial data to most T1s went smoothly. A first round of reprocessing started at the Tier-1 centers end of November; it will take about two weeks. The Computing Shifts procedure was tested full scale during this period and proved to be very efficient: 30 Computing Shifts Persons (CSP) and 10 Computing Resources Coordinators (CRC). The shift program for the shut down w...

Feb 28, 2015 ... abdominal trauma (BAT) is very common, and the prevalence of intra-abdominal injury following it has been reported to be as high as 12–15%. The mechanisms resulting in BAT were motor vehicle collision (73%), motorcycle collision (7%), auto-pedestrian collision (6%), and fall (6%).1. Rapid diagnosis of ...

We report a computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method (CFD-DEM) simulation study on the interplay between mass transfer and a heterogeneous catalyzed chemical reaction in cocurrent gas-particle flows as encountered in risers. Slip velocity, axial gas dispersion, gas bypassing, and particle mixing phenomena have been evaluated under riser flow conditions to study the complex system behavior in detail. The most important factors are found to be directly related to particle cluster formation. Low air-to-solids flux ratios lead to more heterogeneous systems, where the cluster formation is more pronounced and mass transfer more influenced. Falling clusters can be partially circumvented by the gas phase, which therefore does not fully interact with the cluster particles, leading to poor gas-solid contact efficiencies. Cluster gas-solid contact efficiencies are quantified at several gas superficial velocities, reaction rates, and dilution factors in order to gain more insight regarding the influence of clustering phenomena on the performance of riser reactors.

We report a computational fluid dynamics–discrete element method (CFD-DEM) simulation study on the interplay between mass transfer and a heterogeneous catalyzed chemical reaction in cocurrent gas-particle flows as encountered in risers. Slip velocity, axial gas dispersion, gas bypassing, and particle mixing phenomena have been evaluated under riser flow conditions to study the complex system behavior in detail. The most important factors are found to be directly related to particle cluster formation. Low air-to-solids flux ratios lead to more heterogeneous systems, where the cluster formation is more pronounced and mass transfer more influenced. Falling clusters can be partially circumvented by the gas phase, which therefore does not fully interact with the cluster particles, leading to poor gas–solid contact efficiencies. Cluster gas–solid contact efficiencies are quantified at several gas superficial velocities, reaction rates, and dilution factors in order to gain more insight regarding the influence of clustering phenomena on the performance of riser reactors. PMID:28553011

It would be of great value when available databases of screen-film mammography (SFM) images can be used to train full-field digital mammography (FFDM) computer-aided detection (CAD) systems, as compilation of new databases is costly. In this paper, we investigate this possibility. Firstly, we develop a method that converts an FFDM image into an SFM-like representation. In this conversion method, we establish a relation between exposure and optical density by simulation of an automatic exposure control unit. Secondly, we investigate the effects of using the SFM images as training samples compared to training with FFDM images. Our FFDM database consisted of 266 cases, of which 102 were biopsy-proven malignant masses and 164 normals. The images were acquired with systems of two different manufacturers. We found that, when we trained our FFDM CAD system with a small number of images, training with FFDM images, using a five-fold crossvalidation procedure, outperformed training with SFM images. However, when the full SFM database, consisting of 348 abnormal cases (including 204 priors) and 810 normal cases, was used for training, SFM training outperformed FFDMA training. These results show that an existing CAD system for detection of masses in SFM can be used for FFDM images without retraining.

Background: Preoperative assessment of pancreatic masses is still challenging as regards the characterization and assessment of irresectability. The opportunities of modern multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) with image postprocessing can be expected to enhance the diagnostic performance if accurate criteria are elaborated. Purpose: To estimate the accuracy of MDCT and multiplanar image reconstructions with the use of standardized imaging criteria for preoperative evaluation of pancreatic masses with respect to irresectability. Material and Methods: A total of 105 consecutive patients who underwent exploratory laparoscopy or pancreatic resection and had preoperative 3-phase MDCT (4-64 rows) were enrolled retrospectively. First, transverse sections and secondly additional 3Ds were reviewed by two independent blinded observers (O1/O2). Preoperative imaging findings were correlated with intraoperative and histopathologic results. Results: Among all 105 patients, 70 malignant pancreatic tumors and 35 benign pancreatic diseases were found (accuracy of 93% for O1 and 91% for O2). For arterial tumor invasion, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis (values averaged from the results of O1 and O2) revealed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.931 for transverse sections and 0.986 for 3Ds. Regarding irresectability, positive predictive values were 97% (with 3Ds, 97%) for O1/O2; negative predictive values were 84% (with 3Ds, 89%) for O1 and 86% (with 3Ds, 91%) for O2. Conclusion: MDCT with 3Ds was highly accurate for evaluation and assessment of irresectability criteria in patients with pancreatic masses. However, due to the limited specificity regarding arterial tumor infiltration, the indication for surgical exploration should be made generously in case of inconclusive findings

Introduction CMS distributed computing system performed well during the 2011 start-up. The events in 2011 have more pile-up and are more complex than last year; this results in longer reconstruction times and harder events to simulate. Significant increases in computing capacity were delivered in April for all computing tiers, and the utilisation and load is close to the planning predictions. All computing centre tiers performed their expected functionalities. Heavy-Ion Programme The CMS Heavy-Ion Programme had a very strong showing at the Quark Matter conference. A large number of analyses were shown. The dedicated heavy-ion reconstruction facility at the Vanderbilt Tier-2 is still involved in some commissioning activities, but is available for processing and analysis. Facilities and Infrastructure Operations Facility and Infrastructure operations have been active with operations and several important deployment tasks. Facilities participated in the testing and deployment of WMAgent and WorkQueue+Request...

Overview During the past three months activities were focused on data operations, testing and re-enforcing shift and operational procedures for data production and transfer, MC production and on user support. Planning of the computing resources in view of the new LHC calendar in ongoing. Two new task forces were created for supporting the integration work: Site Commissioning, which develops tools helping distributed sites to monitor job and data workflows, and Analysis Support, collecting the user experience and feedback during analysis activities and developing tools to increase efficiency. The development plan for DMWM for 2009/2011 was developed at the beginning of the year, based on the requirements from the Physics, Computing and Offline groups (see Offline section). The Computing management meeting at FermiLab on February 19th and 20th was an excellent opportunity discussing the impact and for addressing issues and solutions to the main challenges facing CMS computing. The lack of manpower is particul...

The Computing Project is preparing for a busy year where the primary emphasis of the project moves towards steady operations. Following the very successful completion of Computing Software and Analysis challenge, CSA06, last fall, we have reorganized and established four groups in computing area: Commissioning, User Support, Facility/Infrastructure Operations and Data Operations. These groups work closely together with groups from the Offline Project in planning for data processing and operations. Monte Carlo production has continued since CSA06, with about 30M events produced each month to be used for HLT studies and physics validation. Monte Carlo production will continue throughout the year in the preparation of large samples for physics and detector studies ramping to 50 M events/month for CSA07. Commissioning of the full CMS computing system is a major goal for 2007. Site monitoring is an important commissioning component and work is ongoing to devise CMS specific tests to be included in Service Availa...

Full Text Available A 37-year-old female patient with chronic and stubborn abdominal pain had been hospitalized five times in three Western hospitals, but no effects were observed. No abnormalities were found in blood tests, gastrointestinal endoscopy, sonogram, and computed tomography of the abdomen, except mild paralytic ileus. The patient decided to rely on Korean medicine as an inpatient. She was diagnosed with functional abdominal pain syndrome, and her symptom differentiation was the “Yang deficiency of spleen and kidney.” A herbal drug, Hwangikyeji-tang, along with moxibustion and acupuncture, was given to the patient. Abdominal pain and related symptoms were reduced radically within 16 days of treatment. This report shows a therapeutic potential of Korean medicine-based treatment for functional abdominal pain syndrome.

Resident's case problem. Abdominal pain is a common symptom, but not a common diagnosis, of patients referred to physical therapists for examination and intervention. For patients with primary symptoms of abdominal pain, a thorough evaluation must be performed to determine if symptoms are musculoskeletal in nature or of a nonmusculoskeletal origin that would warrant a referral to a different healthcare provider. This report describes the management of 3 adults with primary complaints of abdominal pain who were referred for physical therapy evaluation and treatment. Two of the patients had secondary symptoms of hip and/or low back pain and had previously undergone extensive medical testing for their chronic abdominal pain, without a definitive diagnosis having been determined. A physical therapy evaluation was conducted, and treatment, including manual physical therapy and exercise, was administered to address all relative impairments, once the physical therapist had determined that the patients' symptoms were of musculoskeletal origin. The third patient included in this series was referred to a physical therapist with a diagnosis of greater trochanteric versus iliopsoas bursitis. However, the patient had abdominal pain that was more acute in nature and a history and physical examination findings that were concerning for abdominal pain of nonmusculoskeletal origin. Both patients with abdominal pain of musculoskeletal origin showed marked improvement in pain and disability after 7 treatment sessions. The third patient was referred to her primary care physician, and ultrasound examination of the abdomen revealed several intrauterine masses that were consistent with uterine fibroids. Following uterine fibroid embolization, the patient was symptom free. Although not routinely managed by physical therapists, abdominal pain is a relatively common patient symptom that can have several causes, both musculoskeletal and nonmusculoskeletal. This paper emphasizes the importance

cycle. Unless the Intra-abdominal pressure is reduced quickly by urgent surgical or medical interventions, death is inevitable. We report a case of ACS resulting from an unrecognized slow but massive intra-abdominal bleeding caused by a ruptured ectopic pregnancy (REP) in an Arab woman. Due to the unusual nature of ...

In sports, abdominal injuries occur most frequently in cycling, horseback riding, and skiing. Most involve children, not adults. Any athlete sustaining a severe blow to the abdomen should be examined. Guidelines are provided for recognizing and treating injuries to the abdominal muscles, kidneys, spleen, and liver. (Author/MT)

... to the family and child. If functional abdominal pain is strongly suspected as the likely diagnosis, testing should be limited to the most useful, ... the child resume a normal routine. Fortunately, the diagnosis of functional abdominal pain has a good outcome overall, with almost half ...

Epiploic appendicitis is an uncommon inflammatory condition, which is presently better diagnosed by current imaging methods such as computed tomography and ultrasonography that allow a non-invasive and efficient diagnostic approach. The author studied 6 patients with epiploic appendicitis. The patients were submitted to computed tomography that showed paracolic oval lesions of 1 to 2 cm of diameter, fat attenuation and a thin peripheral hyperdense rim associated with adjacent fat stranding. Ultrasound examination performed in two patients showed hyperechoic ovoid noncompressible masses at the site of maximum abdominal tenderness. (author)

that abdominal wall hernia formation is associated with altered collagen metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate biomarkers for type IV and V collagen turnover in patients with multiple hernias and control subjects without hernia. METHODS: Venous blood was collected from 88 men (mean age, 62 years......) with a history of more than 3 hernia repairs and 86, age-matched men without hernias. Biomarkers for synthesis of collagen type IV (P4NP) and type V (P5CP) as well as breakdown (C4M and C5M) were measured in serum by validated, solid-phase, competitive assays. Collagen turnover was indicated by the ratio between...... the biomarker for synthesis and breakdown. RESULTS: Type IV collagen turnover was 1.4-fold increased in patients with multiple hernias compared to control subjects (P turnover was 1.7-fold decreased (P

Full text: Introduction: Abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysms are rare and life-threatening situations. Trauma and operative procedures are common causes of pseudoaneurysm. Abdominal pain is the most common symptom of them. They are usually detected incidentally. Objectives and tasks: We aim to present CTA findings of abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm causes gradually increasing lomber pain in 70-year-old female patient. Physical examination also made diagnosis easy because of pulsatile mass detected. Materials and methods: Lomber MRG and endoscopic procedures were normal. Then we performed CTA to find the cause for pulsatile mass. Results: Pseudoaneurysm with approximately 6 x 7.5 cm size was compressing duodenum and not showing extravasation at the infrarenal segment of abdominal aorta detected in CTA. Pseudoaneurysm was filling from aorta through a 2 cm neck. Conclusion: Primary cause for pseudoaneurysms is traumating injuries. Initial presentation may be abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding or pulsatile mass. To plan treatment and figure out pseudoaneurysm CTA is very fast and non-invasive technic

CFD (computational fluid dynamics) techniques were used to predict mixing and gas-liquid mass transfer in a 250 ml shake flask operating over a range of shaking frequencies between 100 and 300 rev./min, shaking diameters between 20 and 60 mm, and fill volumes between 25 and 100 ml. Interfacial area, a, volumetric mass-transfer coeffcient, kLa, and the power input per unit volume, epsilonv, of the liquid were predicted to be 300bioreactors used in the fermentation of bacterial and fungal micro-organisms (100bioreactors. Bacterial and fungal micro-organisms require dissolved oxygen concentrations typically in the range 50-250 mmol of O2 . h(-1) . litre(-1), corresponding to volumetric mass-transfer coefficients, kLa, in the range of 250-400 h(-1). Poor mixing and dissolved-oxygen limitation in shake flasks may limit their use in process design and media optimization in fermentation. In contrast, mammalian cells have relatively low demand for oxygen and consequently require a lower specific power input, this being typically between 1 and 10 W . m(-3), allowing efficient operation in shake flasks. Experimental data presented as part of the present study showed that mammalian cell growth in shake flasks was essentially independent of the specific power input, the maximum specific cell growth rate being 0.056 h(-1). The corresponding maximum oxygen-uptake rate was 0.74 mmol of O2 . h(-1) . litre(-1) for a viable cell count of 1.3 x 10(6) cells . ml(-1). These values are comparable with reported values for laboratory and pilotscale bioreactors. This analysis suggests that growth of mammalian cells in shake flasks (and hence in laboratory bioreactors) is not limited by the gas-liquid mass-transfer rate. In mammalian cell cultures, the requirement for good mixing is driven by other considerations, including the need for good cell suspension and reduction in heterogeneity, for example, in pH, temperature, nutrient concentration, osmolality and lactate/glucose ratio.

Computing activity had ramped down after the completion of the reprocessing of the 2012 data and parked data, but is increasing with new simulation samples for analysis and upgrade studies. Much of the Computing effort is currently involved in activities to improve the computing system in preparation for 2015. Operations Office Since the beginning of 2013, the Computing Operations team successfully re-processed the 2012 data in record time, not only by using opportunistic resources like the San Diego Supercomputer Center which was accessible, to re-process the primary datasets HTMHT and MultiJet in Run2012D much earlier than planned. The Heavy-Ion data-taking period was successfully concluded in February collecting almost 500 T. Figure 3: Number of events per month (data) In LS1, our emphasis is to increase efficiency and flexibility of the infrastructure and operation. Computing Operations is working on separating disk and tape at the Tier-1 sites and the full implementation of the xrootd federation ...